A New Beginning
by mccloudfan50
Summary: Krystal joins team Star Fox shortly after the events of Dinosaur Planet. Her and Fox grow closer every day, but secrets from the past continue to surface as time passes. She may have found a way to save her home planet from disaster, but at what cost? -Reader Beware: this is in live progress of being rewritten-
1. Chapter 1

Krystal awoke at the top of Krazoa Palace. She was rather hungry, but her thirst had been quenched by the unrelenting fall of rain that flowed freely through her transparent yet strengthened prison.

_Still four... How much longer must I wait?_ She thought. She sighed in relief as his presence entered her mind. It was such a calming, familiar presence... She had never even met him, but there was something about the handsome stranger that had been working so hard to save her.

The sound of an arwing coming to its landing spot was heard. Krystal closed her eyes and smiled to herself as she listened to him land his ship and step out. The soft ambiance of rain covered the sound of his steps, but she knew where he was going; down below, to release another spirit. Another spirit, and another step closer to being freed. Hope once again lit the edges of her mind.

It was several minutes before the long awaited Krazoa Spirit slipped up through the gaping hole below her cage. Only one more, and she would be free.

The gate that had blocked off the final shrine opened. Fox came up from the wind lift at the front of the raised platform where she was imprisoned, and walked over to the now open warp pad. He vanished, presumably reappearing within the shrine.

It was only a few short moments before Fox returned, but to Krystal, it had seemed an eternity.

He hurried to the final release spot, the one place he had yet to go, and the spirit left his body.

"Yeah!" He said in triumph, throwing his fist into the air.

Suddenly, the Krazoa began to circle Krystal with a growing aggressiveness. The black pointed spires below and above the prism that held her captive began to spin faster and faster, slowly closing in the space between them.

"What's going on? You said this would save her!" Fox cried accusingly at the Krazoa. He walked cautiously toward the raised platform, not sure whether to run toward or away from the blue vixen trapped inside.

As if in response to his angry comment, a Krazoa turned off its circular course and leapt directly into Krystal's body, rendering her unconscious.

"No!" Fox yelled, darting toward the scene. He felt helpless, standing just out of reach as spirit after spirit entered her prone body.

She groaned as the sheer power of the Krazoa overwhelmed her tiny frame. Her unconscious mind reacted on instinct, channelling the power out of her body and into a nearby source that demanded it. Sensing that their powers were being used, the Krazoa instantly left the vixen, fleeing from all directions.

Fox saw the exchange that took place, along with the way the spirits fled. "Wake up!" He cried. "Wake up!"

Krystal winced as she slowly regained consciousness. The black spirals that had supported her prison exploded, snapping her out of her daze. She had only passed out for a few seconds, but to her, it had been an eternity. She had missed something... something big.

But before she could stop to think of what it was, she was falling.

She screamed, realizing now that the daydream she had in the hours she had stared at the empty space below her of her falling to her death was about to become a reality.

Air.

Space.

Time.

These had no meaning in the split second she began to fall. One thought and one thought only forced its way into her mind.

No, not a thought... a voice. A man's voice.

"_Don't forget me, princess..._"

Her focus shifted back to reality as a shining object flitted in front of her eyes. She reacted in an instant, snatching her arms forward and grabbing a part of the shaft. She recognized it after only a few milliseconds.

It was her staff.

Her weight pulled the end downward, and for a moment she thought she would still fall to her doom below. But then the staff jerked to a halt. Her hands slid to the edge of it with the momentum of her fall, swinging her precariously on the edge of doom.

Her fear was replaced with a flooding relief. She felt herself being partially lifted and reached out for the edge. Her hand grasped onto the cement egde of the palace roof.

She pulled herself to her elbow and released the staff, grabbing for the solid ground with her fingers.

Another hand rested a few inches from hers. Until that moment, it hadn't occurred to her that she had been rescued by a being.

And that that being could possibly be Fox.

She looked up into his emerald green eyes and held his gaze. There, dangling on the edge between life and death, she fell in love.

She pulled herself up as Fox turned his attention from her to the head of the Krazoa statue that had come off its post with a terrible rumble and was slowly starting to circle the raised platform where they now stood.

"I am reborn, the mighty Krazoa god, muahahahahaha! Kneel all those that stand before me!" It shouted at the two vulpine, laughing maniacally.

"We will _never_ kneel to _you_!" Krystal retorted, stomping her foot for emphasis.

Fox took the staff, still in his hands, and with a few twirls for show, he aimed it at the Krazoa head. It occurred to him that there were better weapons than a thin, metal shaft, and he stepped back, sliding it home into his backpack.

He stepped back with his arm out, standing defensively in front of Krystal.

Her focus was drawn from the looming Krazoa head to the glittering gem in Fox's backpack. "Give me that!" She cried, yanking her possession from his belongings.

"Hey, w-wait!" Fox said in protest as he turned to face her. "Well, thanks for nothing. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be standing here at all!" He said, quickly, trying to take her mind off the staff. He crossed his arms. The staff had grown on him. He wasn't quite ready to give it up.

"My staff!" She cried, ignoring his remark as she raised her staff to fire on the escaping enemy. "You're back..."

* * *

**Team Star Fox in: A New Beginning**

**Chapter 1**

* * *

Krystal ceased her firing as the Krazoa disappeared through the warp gate, followed by Fox's arwing. She shortened her staff and tucked it under the strap that held her loincloth to her hips. Then she jogged lightly off the raised platform, and laid eyes on a crate that held a SharpClaw symbol.

She struck it once with her staff, but it didn't break. She struck it again with the remains of her energy, and it crumbled to pieces. There was a Puk-Puk egg inside of it.

She fell to her knees and snatched it from the ground, taking a deep bite and savoring the sweet taste. She was quite hungry, having been trapped inside the transparent prism for nearly two days. She soon found another box, and quickly devoured the tasty snack within. After her hunger was duly satisfied, Krystal went down to the lower level.

Immediately upon coming out of the wind lift, a SharpClaw ran at her in an offensive manner, club ready. She extended her staff and took a defensive position.

The SharpClaw stopped in his tracks and covered his face with his hands, afraid she might kill him on the spot. "Please! I not hurt you, just don't kill me!" He said in his raspy voice.

"As long as you're not hurting me, I won't hurt you." Krystal said, shortening her staff but still eyeing him suspiciously. This was a SharpClaw, and they were seldom friendly without a motive.

"You've got staff… Are you Fox McCloud?" The SharpClaw asked.

"No, I'm Krystal." She said with a giggle. "Fox was using my staff. He rescued me from the top of this palace, and I took it back from him." She paused, realizing how selfish it sounded coming from her. "…He flew off in his ship after that Krazoa statue." She explained.

"Has he defeated the General? Is General dead?" The SharpClaw asked eagerly.

"I don't know…" Krystal shrugged. "Maybe he has. I should find out… Could you do me a favor?" She asked. "You don't happen to have a ship I could borrow… Do you?" She didn't wait for a reply.

"SharpClaw have ship at Ice Mountain." He said. "WarpStone help you. Get you there."

"Thanks for your help. And for all of our sake, I hope the General is dead too." She added, and then walked away.

She found a path that most likely had a warp pad, but a metal gate blocked it off. She spun her staff around, and prepared to hit it. The entire shaft glowed a deep blue. She spun around and struck the gate with the end, breaking it to pieces that scattered on the floor.

She then walked through the tunnel, and jumped down off the ledge. She stepped onto the warp pad and used it to get to ThornTail Hollow. The WarpStone immediately stopped her.

"And just where do you think you're going?" He asked.

"Um… Ice Mountain?" She said, more inquiring why he was stopping her than telling him where she was going.

"Ha! You can't go to Ice Mountain without payment of a gift." He said.

"Like what? I don't even have anything." She said.

"Hmm… how about that?" He asked, pointing to the object she had in her hand.

Krystal looked down. "My staff!" She cried in horror. "No… I wouldn't. I could never give it up." She said. "My father gave it to be before he died. It's all I have left of my past." She said.

The WarpStone shrugged. "Well, I'm afraid I can't help you." He said. Krystal sighed.

"Well, fine. I'll find another way to get to Ice Mountain." She said. "But it's your fault if I'm too late… and I never get to thank Fox for saving me…" She added.

Then, slowly, she turned and took a step away. And then another.

"Oh, alright… I'll take you…" The WarpStone said guiltily.

Krystal turned back around and smiled. "Oh, thank you! Now I'll be able to catch Fox before he leaves!" The WarpStone held out his hand, and Krystal carefully climbed on.

"Are you ready to warp?" He asked. Krystal nodded eagerly. Using his powers, the WarpStone teleported her to Ice Mountain.

Krystal sighed happily, walking out of the small cave and into the cold, snowy atmosphere of the mountain. A large, metal ship was parked in the center of a wide area. Two SharpClaw were arguing about something.

The vixen attempted to sneak past them, but they saw her. "Hey! Stop!" They shouted at her. Krystal gasped, extending her staff.

They stopped in their tracks when they saw her weapon. "Hey… she got stick thing… What Scales said?"

"Scales dead…Not say anything."

"He said, who has stick, kill us…" They whispered to each other. Krystal sensed what they were arguing about. "What you want?"

"I'd like to borrow this ship, if you don't mind." She said, still aiming her staff at them.

"You no borrow ship… it ours!" One of them argued. He immediately realized he'd just disagreed with the creature that had the power to end his life.

Krystal aimed her staff at the one who'd spoken. He flinched. "I _need_ to _borrow_ the ship. I'll bring it back when I'm done with it." She said.

The SharpClaws said nothing. They just stared at her, afraid that she'd kill them if they so much as spoke.

"Okay, I'm going to take the ship now. If you so much as think of sneaking up on me, I'll… I'll use my staff on you." She threatened.

They obviously were beside themselves with fright.

Krystal smiled to herself as she walked onto the ship. She let out a quiet giggle. _Hmm… now what? I've got the ship, but how does it work?_ She looked over the controls, trying to remember what her brother had taught her. _Okay… this one turns it on…_ she thought as she flipped a switch. _These must be the controls to steer…_ She thought, looking at the joystick.

There was a pad with several numbers and symbols. _Hm… I think this is how you call someone… but I don't have any information about his ship…_ Krystal carefully lifted the ship out of the small area, and flew toward space.

As she exited the atmosphere, she couldn't help but look off into the distance. No one could see it until they got close, but a barren planet floated not too far from Sauria, just beyond the Lylat System. Krystal knew by heart where it was. She'd never forget. She couldn't…

She turned her attention to the controls as an asteroid floated by just outside the window. A grand ship with the symbol of a winged Fox drifted in the planet's orbit.

The Great Fox was just in range of her ship's radar. After messing with the controls, she was able to make the ship send a call of some sort.

Peppy Hare let the call through. "Yes? Who is this? Are you alright?"

"This is Krystal."

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked.

"Nothing… I'm fine, why?"

"You sent a distress call, you know…"

"Oh! I'm sorry! I'm…I didn't know how to…"

"Ah, never mind it. What do you need?"

"Um… well, is Fox there?" She inquired. As soon as she'd asked, she knew the answer. She sensed his presence farther away.

In the distance were two arwings and the Krazoa head he had chased after.

"No, I'm afraid not. He's run into a… bit of a problem… but he should be back soon enough. When he gets back, would you like me to tell him you called?" Peppy asked.

"Um… well, no, actually." She said, thinking of a plan. "You see, I'm in a borrowed ship. Can I just leave him a message?"

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm sorry you missed him. I'll forward you to the recorder in a minute. Is there anything else you need?"

"No, that's all. Thank you." She said.

"Here you go. Wait for the beeping sound and then start talking."

There was silence for a moment, and then a soft tone.

"Hi, Fox. I really appreciate what you did for me. I'm just so sorry we didn't get much of a chance to talk… I'm left with just one more thing to do." She looked down at the control board and punched a red button on the number pad.

Her call was cut off.

She sighed, wondering if her plan was such a good idea.

(**30 minutes later, on the Great Fox**)

"Woohoo hoo! Yeah!" Slippy Toad jumped up and down with glee as he heard that they would all get paid for rescuing Sauria.

"We can finally repair this ship." Peppy said.

"And I really need some oil. These joints are not what they used to be." Rob the robot said in his usual monotone voice. His left arm slid out of place, and he quickly put it back.

"And _I_ can't wait to get back with the Star Fox Team. Hey guys, you don't mind if I hang with you again, do ya?" Falco Lombardi asked as he walked through the docking bay door.

Fox paused to think for a minute, giving Falco a teasing look. "Sure, Falco. It's great to have you back." He said finally. Falco gave Fox his usual playful smirk and walked toward the group.

"The Star Fox Team is back together again!" Slippy said happily.

Peppy, who had been staring out the window, suddenly looked up. "Oh, Fox! I almost forgot. I received this message from Krystal."

Fox's face lit up as Krystal's face came up on the holographic projector.

"Hi, Fox. I really appreciate what you did for me. I'm just so sorry we didn't get much of a chance to talk... I'm left with just one more thing to do." The sound of a ship landing on the guest landing pad caused skeptical looks to come to the team's faces. Fox's ears twitched as he listened to the ship lock onto the pad and turn off. A few seconds later, the docking bay door opened.

"And that's to say, thank you." Krystal said, smiling as she walked toward him.

Fox was caught off guard. "Well… uh, okay… I mean, sure! No problem!" He blushed lightly, realizing he had just made himself sound like an idiot.

"Ah ha-ha! You're not shy, are you Fox?" Slippy teased the blushing vulpine as Falco elbowed him. Krystal smiled, standing nervously next to Fox.

"My sensors indicate Fox's temperature is rising. Are you okay Fox?" Rob asked in his monotone voice, causing the others to break into laughter.

"I'm gonna be just fine." Fox said, looking at Krystal.

"Yeah, fine 'cuz your new girl-" Falco stopped as Peppy shot him a glare. Krystal giggled.

"Haha! Good one, Falco!" Slippy teased the avian. Falco rolled his eyes.

"Falco, come on… we barely even know each other!" Fox said, nervously glancing at Krystal.

Falco chuckled. "Yeah, _sure_… I'm gonna head out and make sure Slippy hasn't done something awful to my room while I've been gone…" Slippy looked down guiltily. "Slip, I think you have some explaining to do."

"Err… um… I think I'd rather stay here…" Slippy mumbled. Falco shot him a glare, and the startled frog reluctantly followed him off the bridge.

"I, um… I'd better make sure they're not off killing each other…" Peppy said, leaving the two foxes alone with only Rob, who seemed to get the hint from the other members and turned to fiddle with something on the control board.

"I just wanted to thank you… I mean…" She paused. "Why did you help me? You didn't know who I was. I could've been evil!"

Fox shrugged. "Well… saving you was part of the mission. And besides, I couldn't just leave you there to die…" He said.

"Well… thank you." She took a breath, looking about the ship. "Well, Fox, I guess this is good bye. Could you take me back to my ship?" She asked, walking toward the docking bay.

"Good bye? I… I guess…" Fox said, disappointed. He walked with her onto the elevator that lead to the guest docking bay, and pressed the according button. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"Is there something…you wanted to say?" Krystal inquired, sensing his reluctance as the elevator stopped and the door opened to her borrowed ship.

"No! I…guess not." Fox said quickly. He immediately regretted it.

She smiled, knowing he was lying. "Well then, goodbye." She turned and walked away with one final glance over her shoulder, and just like that, she was gone.

In that one moment, all Fox could do was stare. He didn't know what it was about her that had caused him to freeze. Perhaps it was the lighting in the elevator… or the way she smiled, or maybe it was the way her hair was gently tossed when she turned toward him before the ship's door closed. He was just stuck there, standing like an idiot as she left. The elevator returned to its stationary spot by the bridge, and the door slid open.

"Fox… Fox!" Falco snapped, walking away from the surveilance area of the control board.

Fox snapped back into reality. "Gah! What!"

"If you wanted her to stay, you should've asked her to more plainly. How about, 'why don't you stay, Krystal?' or 'Hey, I'd really like it if you didn't leave' or maybe even a 'I'm totally into you and if you go I'm going to be depressed for the next year'… But really? 'No, I guess not.' That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! How about, I want you to stay, or please don't go, or _anything_ but what you said. That was a foolish move on your part, McCloud." Falco said.

Fox fumbled for words. "It's... too late… I mean, she's gone. I'll… I guess I'll just go on with my life, and she'll go on with hers." He said.

"You sorry excuse for a mercenary… You can bash in bad guys and face foes ten times your size but you can't talk to a girl? Go after her! You obviously like her, so _do_ something! Don't be like I was with Katt… I let her go because I was stupid. I could've gone after her, but instead I just sat there and watched her leave. Go after her now, or sit there in silence and wish you had for the rest of your life." Falco said.

"Falco, I can't. What would Peppy say?" Fox countered. "My father wouldn't be proud… Plus, she's got things to do down there. I can't just go and mess it up because I feel like it. It's just a dumb feeling anyway."

"You're father? Peppy? You father would be damn proud if you left right now. The only thing he would be disappointed about is you not making a move." Falco accused.

"Yea, but…"

"But _what_!" Falco cried.

"I can't just-…"

"One more word. _One more word and I swear…_" Falco began.

"Falco!"

"YOU GET YOUR ASS OUT THAT DOOR THIS SECOND OR SO HELP ME I WILL BLAST YOU IN THE FACE!" Falco shouted, drawing his weapon.

"You wouldn't..." Fox said.

"Oh, really? You wanna wait and find out exactly what I wouldn't do?" Falco asked.

Fox turned and bolted out into the docking bay. Had he been able to hear into the bridge, he would have heard Falco's laughter.

(**Twenty minutes later**)

A certain vulpine sat in his arwing, headed back down to the surface of Sauria. He didn't know where or how to start searching for her, or if she was even there. All he knew was that he was going to find her and take her back with him, even if it was the last thing he ever did.

He headed into the atmosphere and turned on his radar. A ship was cooling off at Ice Mountain. It was the same ship she'd been on less than an hour earlier. Fox sighed. He knew it wasn't going to be easy for him to get the guts to invite her back, but it was something he had to do. _Why am I listening to Falco? I know him better than that… He wouldn't have actually shot me… but… maybe he's right. Maybe I do love her… a little… no, I haven't even known her that long. All I've done is talked to her once and save her from the top of the palace… there's no way it's love… but… I know I feel something… maybe this isn't such a bad idea. Or maybe it's a terrible idea…_

If he refused to go, Falco would never let him live it down… and that wasn't something he was looking forward to. He flew over Ice Mountain and landed at ThornTail Hollow. _Well, here goes nothing…_

(**Somewhere on planet Sauria…**)

Krystal skipped nonchalantly along the path in ThornTail hollow, heading for a relaxing nap by the water. She sensed the presence, still far off in his ship, but following her nonetheless. She smiled to herself as she leaned back onto the grass and closed her eyes.

It would still be a good while before he caught up with her. _Might as well catch some sleep… She thought._

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Hello and welcome to the beginning. The new version. Chapters will be re-written and uploaded up to Chapter 35, at the very least. If you would like to follow along and read the new version, which has far less errors, far less confusion and far more action, romance, and adventure, check back regularly.

The new chapters will have no title at the top. The title in the quick link at the top right will also disappear for easy access. It will simply say "Chapter 1" or 2 or 3 or so on.

Welcome to the lost corner of the Lylat System.

Welcome to _A New Beginning._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Fox landed his arwing and leapt out, landing on his feet with a soft thud. He snapped his head up and scanned the familiar landscape of ThornTail Hollow. The trees, the grass, the river, the familiar blue figure lying peacefully on the riverbed...

His heart skipped a beat. _It's her!_

He froze, unsure of what to do. The impulse to run behind the nearest tall object and hide hit him, but he resisted only because he couldn't will his feel to move.

He blinked and pulled himself out of his daze enough to think. He wasn't sure exactly why he was so shocked... Partly because she was there, and partly because he hadn't expected to find her so easily. But now that he was here, he wasn't sure what to do.

He took a breath and paused to analyze the situation.

But there was nothing to analyze. He was there, and she was there. That was it.

He turned around and put his hands on his head. "Alright... You can do this, McCloud." He reassured himself. He twisted and looked at her lithe form, curled on her side, facing away from him. She looked to be asleep.

Cautiously, he walked toward her to see. She didn't move. He stood over her and looked at her face. Her eyes were closed.

He took a step back and sighed, and then he sat behind her and stared blankly over the river to the grass on the other side. Knowing she was there was somehow calming.

Krystal shifted lightly, sensing a presence near her. Normally she would have jumped up even from a deep sleep, but this presence was soothing; it held no threat. It took longer for the realization that she wasn't alone to reach her conscious thoughts. It was almost more peaceful than being alone... and then she realized.

She wasn't alone.

She opened her eyes and sat up with a gasp.

Fox jumped to his feet, startled. Then he noticed the frightened look on her face. "I'm sorry! I... I didn't mean to... I was just..."

"No, it's okay..." Krystal replied, climbing to her feet. "Why are you here? I thought you were leaving."

"I was... I just kind of..." He hesitated. An image of Falco teasing him entered his mind. He bit his lip and closed his eyes. "I...I really like you and I want you to join the team..." He blurted.

A grin tugged at the corner of her mouth.

He opened his eyes and looked at her, suddenly horrified at what he'd just said.

She sensed his fear. "Well..." She began, "it all hinges on one thing."

He let out a quiet sigh of relief. And then her words made sense. "One thing...? W-what thing?" He asked.

She turned around, looking at the sky, and then faced him again. She smiled shyly and turned her chin down, looking at him through the tips of her long lashes. "I'll only join... if you'll kiss me."

Fox's jaw dropped. He clamped it shut again. Words and actions alike eluded him in every manner, and all he could do was stare in shock at the beautiful vixen before him.

She giggled. "That's alright, you don't have to. I guess I'll see you around... if you happen to have a mission near here, that is. Goodbye, Fox." She said, walking around him and down the path toward LightFoot Village.

"Hey, w-wait!" He said finally, his shock replaced with the fear of her leaving.

She spun and looked at him expectantly.

"Well, I...I didn't say I wouldn't." He said.

She shrugged. "Well, it's not like I have all day... If I'm gonna be staying here I have to set some things up first, like living quarters, you know?"

_But you can't stay here! You're coming with me! _He thought with despair.

She sensed his thought and smiled.

"Well?" She asked expectingly, waiting for him to take action. He did nothing. She turned without a word and strode off down the path to LightFoot Village, leaving him to stand helplessly and watch her go.

(**Meanwhile**)

Peppy walked on to the bridge were Falco was sitting in a chair, grinning like a proud little boy who'd just won the game.

He glanced out the window and noticed they were still in orbit. "Why haven't we left?" He asked.

Falco looked up with a shocked but guilty expression on his face. "Uhh..."

"What are we waiting for? Let's get this ship out of orbit and go home!"

Peppy walked toward the controls.

"NO!" Falco cried, jumping out of his chair. Peppy stopped in his tracks, shocked at the bird's reaction. "Fox is down there. You can't leave without him!"

Peppy blinked. "Why is he...the mission's over. He went back?"

Falco coughed and looked down.

"Why did he go back?"

The avian looked up and took a step, clapping his hands together in front of him. "Well... let's just say it's between Fox and...someone else." He said, smirking.

"Krystal?" Peppy asked.

"Bingo."

"I thought she was here."

"Where've you been? She left two hours ago." He said.

Peppy shook his head. "But, wait. She left with Fox?"

"No. She left, Fox didn't do anything, and then he...uh...changed his mind, and went after her."

The sound of a ship landing in the docking bay reached their ears.

"Sounds like he's back." Falco said.

Peppy shook his head again, disapprovingly. "I'm going to sleeping quarters before I hurt him..." He said. "Let me know when we're on course to Corneria."

"Will do." Falco said. A few seconds later, the sliding door creaked open. "About time you-..." He trailed off as he saw that who he'd expected and who was standing in the doorway were not the same person.

The person in the doorway was perhaps the last person he ever expected to see, let alone standing there on the ship on the same day he returned to the team.

And yet by some twist of fate, there she was, plain as day, standing in front of him and looking him right in the eye.

"Hello, Falco."

(**Meanwhile...**)

Fox lowered his head and walked determinedly down the path to LightFoot Village after Krystal. It had taken him the entirety of seven minutes, pacing back and forth to realize he was going to follow her.

Seven minutes too long.

He walked double time, almost running but not wanting to work up a sweat and end up smelling worse than he assumed he already did, having not showered the entire time he was on Sauria. When he reached the fence at the point between LightFoot Village and ThornTail Hollow, he turned right and jumped off the ledge into the water. It may not have been an exact bath, but the water was cool and clean.

He resurfaced with a sigh and swam to the edge. He crawled up on his hands and knees and shook his head to clear the water from his fur. He stood up and shook out his hands and legs like a cat. His clothes still dripped with water, but he didn't mind. The warm spring atmosphere of Sauria would dry him off soon enough.

He jogged through the tunnel to LightFoot Village, hoping to dry himself off and catch up his lost minutes at the same time. When he arrived, the two sentry SharpClaw who had been patrolling the village were sitting lazily by the side of the path. They barely even acknowledged that Fox was there.

He stopped and looked at them. "Have you guys seen a girl walk by here? A fox, with blue fur?" He asked. They stared at him blankly. He took out his blaster. "Let's try this again."

The SharpClaw, in unison, pointed toward Cape Claw.

"Thank you." Fox holstered his blaster and walked toward the maze, glad that he had been thinking enough to take it from the hidden compartment in his arwing and put it on during his flight to the planet. He rounded the last corner in the maze and whipped it out again, blasting the annoying plant on the wall that had only yesterday smacked him flat in the face. Twice.

"Who's in pain now, you bastard." He said, smirking at the mess of goo that was a plant. Then he walked past it and into the giant well that led to Cape Claw. He had to wonder how the dinosaurs had designed and built such a massive structure... and why. But the answer would have to wait. Right now, he had to find Krystal. He was pushing the patience of the team. He knew they were waiting to get back to Corneria. There were repairs to be done on the Great Fox, and new supplies to be bought, and the concept of amenities had been reduced to sharing the last tube of toothpaste and one more roll of toilet paper.

He set his mind to determination, and planned exactly what he would do and say.

Step 1: Find her.

Step 2: Kiss her.

Step 3: Take her back.

That simple. He planned out how he would do it as he climbed down the ladder into the well.

He would walk up to her and say, "Listen, you're coming with me and that's that!" And kiss her right there. Then he would take her by the arm and...lead her off into the sunset? No. Too cliche. But it might just work...

The soft sound of the ocean waves reached his ears as he climbed the ladder to Cape Claw. He took a long breath of the fresh ocean air and proceeded forward. He rounded the bend and looked over the familiar beach area. It was just as he had left it less than a day before. The sun was just setting over the horizon. He walked down the SharpClaw free path, down the wooden ramp to the sand and water.

The sky had turned a deep shade of purple as the sun disappeared beyond the landscape. The calm waters reflected the blue and purple hues, setting an ethereal beauty about the little ocean paradise.

Up on the broken water dock that had once contained a HighTop, he caught sight of Krystal. She was sitting at the far edge, overlooking the expansive ocean. He swallowed the butterflies in his gut and walked over to her. She didn't look up. He sat next to her.

"It's so beautiful..." She said softly. He sighed. She glanced at him. "So, you followed me."

"Yea."

"Why?"

He was silent. Every ounce of his 'just do it' plan dissolved into thin air. _Cuz I think you're beautiful and amazing, and I saved the world so I could see you, and I'm using the fact that you're a pilot and a fighter as an excuse to invite you to my team and be close to you, and I want to kiss you more than anything but I'm a chicken shit. I can bring down the King RedEye and Andross, but I can't tell you how I feel. How does that answer your question, Krystal?_ He thought, sighing to himself.

She smiled, having heard every last word of that thought.

And then he topped it with one last thought. _I'm so glad she can't read my mind..._

Krystal snickered. He looked over. "What?" He asked.

She laughed. "Fox, have I told you yet that I'm a telepath?"

The blood drained from his face. "A...a...telepath...?" He gulped.

"Mhm! It means I can read minds." She said cheerfully.

His face went from pale to red, and back to pale. "You...read minds?" He said weakly. _Shit!_

She giggled. "I certainly do."

"Have... you read... _my _mind?" He asked.

She grinned mischievously. "Perhaps..."

His face returned to its reddened shade. _Oh god... oh god... oh shit... no this is NOT HAPPENING..._

Krystal giggled.

Fox blushed again.

"_Well?_" He nearly jumped. The sensation of her voice in his head sent tingles down his spine, down to the tips of his fingers and toes. His jaw hung open from the mere shock of it. He realized he was gaping at her and turned away, blushing deeply. "_Are you going to kiss me, or are you going back to your ship alone?_" He blinked, looking back at her. The slight smile on her lips, the twinkle in her eyes, the tilt of her head, and the perfect posture she had while sitting. He couldn't take it anymore.

He swallowed the knot in his gut, reached his hand behind her head and pulled her lips to his.

(**Meanwhile...**)

"Katt?" Falco gaped at the pink feline before him.

"No, bird-brain, I'm Fox. Who do you think I am?" She said sarcastically with a smirk.

He blinked. "You're...here?"

"No silly. I'm part of your imagination." In truth, Katt was as surprised to see him as he was to see her, if not, more. But she would never let on a weakness such as surprise. Not after all she had gone through... She looked away from his enticing violet eyes and walked across the bridge. "Where's Fox?" She demanded without looking at him.

"He's on the planet chasing after... some chick."

"A girl? That's new. Never knew Foxy would grow balls so fast. Sounds interesting. Who is she?"

"You wouldn't know her. Some chick named... Christine or something. I don't know." He said.

"Huh. Well, Imma go see how bad Slip-Up messed with my room while I've been gone." She exited into the hallway that led to the living quarters.

Falco sat stunned for another minute. He grabbed a headset and sent a transmission to Fox.

It beeped twice before he picked up.

"Yea?" He sounded irritated.

"Fox! You gotta get back here. Katt's back!"

"Katt? You serious?"

"Yea! I swear. I mean I heard a ship dock and I thought it was yours. But then she walked in..."

"What is that?" A feminine voice asked.

"It's a transmitter. It keeps me in contact with the ship." Fox said, away from the mic. "I'll be there shortly. Fox out." He ended the transmission in the middle of Falco's protest.

"That's interesting." She said.

"Shall we go?" Fox asked.

"Go where?" She inquired.

"To...the ship?"

She smiled mischievously. "Your ship?" He nodded. "Whatever for?"

"But...you said..."

She giggled. "I told you, I'll only join if you kiss me."

"But... I thought I..."

She laughed. "That? That wasn't a kiss." He stared blankly. "_This_ is a kiss." She pulled him close by his vest and kissed him deeply. Butterflies erupted wildly in his stomach.

He froze for a split second, and then he melted into it. She pulled away leaving him wanting more.

"Well? Are you going to kiss me or not?" She asked. He closed the small distance and kissed her passionately. She ended it after only a few short seconds, again leaving him dissatisfied. He longed for another kiss, but she turned away with a smirk and a slight blush beneath her fur. "Well, Fox. I suppose I'm going with you."

Words eluded him. He stood and offered her his hand. She accepted daintily and he pulled her up. He paused for a moment, glancing at her lips. She grinned.

"Are we going?"

He blinked. "Yea... of course."

"You know... just because I let you kiss me, it doesn't mean I'll do it again. I was testing you to see what sort of a man you are before I rushed off to join your team."

His face reddened. "Oh...of course, I know."

She smirked. "No, I don't think you do."

He shrugged uncomfortably. "Well, okay...but can we head back now? It's almost dark."

She giggled. "Whenever you're ready, Fox."

They walked in silence together back to ThornTail Hollow. When they arrived, it was dark.

Fox opened his cockpit. "Blast it." He said as the fuel light flashed. "I'll be right back. I'm out of fuel."

Krystal stood patiently and watched him as he splashed across the river and scurried down into the ThornTail Store. "Whatever you say, Fox..."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Okay, so forget remodeling. This crap is getting bulldozed and rebuilt from scratch. ..well, not exactly. But close! Chapter 2 up and running.

If Chapter 3 has a title...READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. Honestly I'd like to burn it all and have it done this second... but then that's just me. If you want to read, be my guest! :) However if there is no title and it just says Chapter 3 in neat, centered bold, then by all means read on because I fixed the many errors! :D Until then, I'm out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Fox stepped up over the annoying ledge and walked down the ramp into the underground store. "I still don't see how a dinosaur can get in here..." He muttered, walking straight to the room with Fuel Cells. He checked the scarab bag he still had in his backpack. There were 87 scarabs. He turned to Shabunga. "How much for ten fuel cells?"

The shopkeeper took out his price scroll. "You pay this much." He said, showing the number 100.

"How about Eighty?" Fox asked.

"No! That's too low."

"How about eighty three?"

"No! That's too low."

Fox winced. "Eighty seven?"

"I don't need business from cheapskates! Get out!" Shabunga snapped.

"Okay okay! How about nine cells for eighty-seven scarabs?" Fox asked.

Shabunga opened his scroll. "You pay this much." It showed 90.

"Eighty-seven." Fox said.

"No! That's too low."

"Fine! I'll buy eight!"

"You pay this much." Shabunga's scroll opened, reading 87.

Fox's eye twitched.

He imagined pulling out his blaster and shooting the creature in the face, but rather than risk having to pull 10 fuel cells out of thin air, as there was only one on display, he opted for storming out of the store with a fit of curses instead.

"...AND THAT MOTHER FU-..." He paused mid-rant as he looked up at the vixen blocking his view of the sky. She sat perfectly poised on top of the brick wall, smirking at him.

"Having trouble?" She teased.

His face reddened further and he looked down.

"Give me the scarabs, I'll get them for you. How many do you need?"

"Ten..." He muttered.

Krystal hopped off the ledge and took the scarabs from him. She walked into the store. Shabunga appeared before her.

"Welcome to my store! Feel free to look around at the many wonderful items within these walls. I have food, special goods, and many maps. And if you like to play games, then enter the scarab room! Yessss... Oh, and that's the exit."

"Okay..." Krystal said, slightly disturbed by the store keeper's interesting yet creepy accent. "But I'm looking for-..."

"Now..." The creature interrupted. "If you find something that you like, then choose that item, and we'll discuss a price. Is that clear?" He asked, showing the vixen his scroll.

"Yes, but-..."

"Good! Now hurry and choose something or get out!"

Krystal huffed as the mystical floating bastard vanished. She walked into the first room on her left. Seeing a fuel cell, she walked over and touched it.

"You pay this much." The bastard said, holding up his scroll with 10 scarabs.

"I need ten." She said.

"You pay this much." He said, closing his scroll and reopening it. It read 100.

"I don't have that much, but it's really important you see..."

"You pay this much." He interrupted. The scroll read 100.

"Can I buy nine with eighty seven scarabs?"

"No! That's too low."

"It's only three scarabs short!" She cried. She narrowed her gaze as she realized that this thing didn't have a thought pattern. It didn't have a presence at all. She drew her staff. "What are you?" She asked.

"You pay this much." He replied. His scroll read 90.

"Eighty seven or I blow your head off!" She snapped.

He blinked. "...You pay this much." He said, holding open the scroll with 87 scarabs.

Krystal smirked and put away her staff. She took a bag of fuel cells out of his hand and replaced it with her bag of scarabs. Then she left the store and returned to Fox.

"Did you get them?" He asked.

"I only got nine." She said. "That scaly bastard wouldn't let me buy ten."

Fox furrowed his brow and looked down. "We should still make it...if we reach the proximity alert area, someone will be out to pick us up." He climbed the wall and turned to offer his hand to Krystal. She was gone.

She tapped him on the shoulder. "You forget something?"

He blushed. "No..."

"Then let's go." She grinned at him and turned toward the arwing. He watched her in awe for a moment before snapping out of it and following her. They waded through the shallow end of the river and walked to the arwing. The sky was dark and the stars were out. Krystal looked up at the crescent moon and smiled.

Fox loaded the fuel cells into the tank and opened the cockpit. "Ready?" He asked.

"Not quite..." She said, taking one last look around the Hollow. She turned back to Fox. "Alright. I guess I'm ready now."

He climbed up and offered his hand. She took it with a smile and allowed him to help her onto the wing. Then he stepped in and sat down in the pilot's seat.

"Where will I sit?" She asked. He grinned and patted his lap. She gave him a shocked look and her cheeks reddened beneath her blue fur.

"There's no where else to go. Unless you'd prefer the cargo hold..." He winced.

She climbed in and plopped into his lap.

"Alright, I'm going to give you the basics of Arwing Flight Training." Fox said. She listened intently. "This is to turn it on," he flipped a switch. "this is to start up the engine and G-Diffusers," he pressed a green button. "and this is to steer you. Pull back when you're on the ground to take off. If I hadn't forgotten to refuel I would let you get a hand at steering..." He said.

"That's alright. I'm sure I'll get plenty of other chances." She said.

He smiled as he gently steered the ship up above the Hollow and aimed for space. Then he pressed another button. The ship shot forward toward the atmosphere. Krystal gasped in awe, looking out the window to her left as the planet below grew from massive to small in a matter of minutes.

Fox sighed in relief as the Great Fox came into sight. He coasted easily through a few asteroids and into open space as the fuel light came on. He checked the radar. "Thirty-four parsecs." He said.

Krystal gasped. "Is that a lot?" She asked.

He chuckled. "It's about three miles. It's not too far... but I'm not sure we can make it there. There's only two left. We might get stuck for a while...but someone'll come out to pick us up."

A message flashed on the screen. "Warning: Low fuel. Engine will shut down in three minutes."

He typed in the number for the Great Fox's communications system. After five short beeps it cut to an automated message. "The ship you are trying to reach is not responding. Please call again later." Fox scoffed. "I can't call later." He dialed again. Same reaction. He cursed under his breath.

"Relax. I'm sure it'll be fine." Krystal said softly.

The screen lit up with red. "Warning: Low fuel. Engine will shut down in one minute."

Fox tried once more to contact the Great Fox.

No answer.

"Blast it all." He muttered. "Hold on." He switched off the G-Diffusers and pressed the boost with one hand, wrapping his free hand around Krystal's waist. With a hard jolt, the ship shot forward, closing the distance between them and the ship.

"Warning: Fuel empty. Engine will shut off."

"No!" Fox cried. The ship jerked to a stop. He grunted as the G-Force pulled the two forward. He looked out the window at the looming ship, only a few yards off, and swore.

Krystal winced. "Someone will see us here... right?" She asked.

"As long as they aren't pulled off by the orbit path..." He replied. The ship was slowly but steadily floating to the right. Fox scoffed. "We're so close!" He cried helplessly.

"I'm sure we'll make it. It'll be fine, you'll see." She said. He sighed.

"You're right... It's just so frustrating." He sighed again. His breath turned to a foggy cloud that slowly dissipated.

Krystal shivered. "Space is cold..." She said.

Fox took off his vest and handed it to her. "Put this on... I know it's not much, but it's all I have."

She slipped her arms through the vest and zipped it. Where the vest was too small for Fox's muscular frame, it fit Krystal's delicate form perfectly. "Thank you..." She involuntarily shuddered at the cold that had suddenly flooded the small space. Fox slipped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. She didn't say anything. His intentions were pure; he only wanted her to be warm. She turned sideways on his lap and buried her arms and face in his warm chest. He gently stroked her arm.

He wanted so desperately to rush her onto the Great Fox, where it would be warm and cozy at the touch of a button. But here they were, stuck in an arwing, so close yet so far. It was enough to drive him mad.

He listened to her soft, peaceful breathing and closed his eyes. The cold was enough to make him want to crawl inside himself and hibernate. He rested his chin on Krystal's head. Unconsciousness threatened to overtake him.

_No...I can't let...can't fall asleep...Krystal..._

(**Meanwhile**)

Katt stood in the center of her room, staring at the familiar space. It was unchanged. In eight years, the only difference was the thick layer of dust that covered every surface. The lightbulb didn't work, but she preferred star light to the florescent bombardment that the Cornerians called light.

A soft tone reached her ears. It was coming from the bridge. _Slippy should get that..._ She thought. A few seconds later, it was gone.

It buzzed again. She had half a mind to go down and answer it. It silenced after a while.

"Katt." She turned to the voice. It was Falco. "Katt, I..." He trailed off. He hated to admit that he had missed her... but in truth, she was the reason he had left. He longed to tell her that. He walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Emotion flooded his chest. He did not resist the urge to lean in and plant a kiss on her soft lips.

She turned away, and his lips touched her cheek instead. "A lot of things have changed, Falco. I'm over it. I wouldn't have come back otherwise."

He clenched his teeth in silent rage.

"That's just how luck goes, I suppose. Now that you finally have feelings for me, I've moved on."

He stepped back. "I don't have feelings for you." He said. He knew it was a lie. She knew it was a lie. He knew she knew it was a lie. And yet he bothered to say it anyway. She didn't reply. He turned and left.

A familiar throb tugged at her heart, and she smiled wistfully. A year ago... nay, even a week ago, she would not have turned and rejected him. She would have taken his affection and begged for more. She would have sat quietly and obeyed his every whim. But not now. She knew better. She had promised herself on the ship she wouldn't show her feelings. And as she stepped onto the bridge and laid eyes on his cocky attitude, his insanely large ego... she realized there were no feelings left to hide.

Or at least that's what she told herself. But beneath the lies and bullshit was the Katt she feared above most... the Katt who would do anything for him. The Katt who was crushed by his carelessly thrown insults. The Katt who would melt like butter in a frying pan at his glance. The Katt who spent hours mulling over some random thing he'd said, trying to decipher if he was as infatuated with her as she was with him.

No. That Katt was gone. This Katt would never think of obsessing over Falco. This Katt would never-...

The beeping had taken up again. She walked swiftly out to the bridge. "For God's sake, what!" She snapped. It stopped. She checked the main comm system. It was Fox. She pressed a key to return the call and waited.

No answer.

"Well God damn. You sit there calling and calling and I try to call you back, and then you're not available. Well excuse me for not calling _exactly_ when you need me, Foxy-boy." She grumbled. She tried again.

"The ship you are trying to reach is currently-" She cut off the automated voice with a button.

"Alright then." She turned around and caught sight of a red light flashing. It was the proximity alarm. She walked over to the radar and flipped a switch. The hologram in the center of the bridge shuddered and coughed to life. A three dimensional image of the Great Fox appeared. There was an arwing sitting idly by the back end. She stared for a moment. "What the hell is he doing...?" She asked aloud.

She typed a few things into the main controls. The image zoomed to the arwing, and its current status lined up beside it.

Weapons: Offline

Engine: Offline

Comm: Offline

Fuel: Empty

Oxygen: Full

Power: Emergency Only

She sighed. "The things you get yourself into..." She walked into the docking bay and grabbed her helmet before hopping gracefully into her pink ship and starting the engine. She scanned over her status:

Weapons: Offline

Engine: On

Comm: On

Fuel: 38/120

Oxygen: 67/100

Power: On

She punched the boost and shot out of the docking bay, making a large loop to come around by the idle arwing. She set up her comm to radio them on the emergency network. "You damn well better pick up, or I'm not towing your ass in." She said under her breath. It rang once...

Twice...

Three times...

There was a click and the sound of shuffling. "He...hello?"

"Fox?" She inquired. It had sounded like a female voice.

"Fox...Fox, wake up."

"...wha...Oh."

"Fox!" Katt snapped.

"Gah! What!" He cried, snapping to attention. He blinked through the fog of the cold and forced his mind to focus. "Katt?"

"Damn straight! The hell are you doing?"

"Thank God. I'm out of fuel. Can you give us a tow to the docking bay?" He said quickly.

"What's the magic word?" She taunted.

"Katt! God damnit we're freezing our tails off out here! Do it now!"

"Okay, okay!" She said in surrender. "Who's 'we?'"

"Newest team member. Soon to be newest _dead_ member if you don't hurry."

"Alright!" Katt cried, firing her tow cable. It smacked into the front nose of Fox's ship and locked onto the metal hull by magnet.

Fox turned around and looked up at the pink ship. An asteroid twice its size was barreling toward it. "Katt, look out! To your right!"

She screamed, jerking the joystick and barrel rolling in attempt to avoid it. The back end of her ship was smashed by the massive rock. "Shit!" Her ship was shoved away. It jerked around, pulled by the tow cable that was still attached. "Fox!" She cried.

Fox gasped as the arwing's nose jerked around to face Katt. Krystal shrieked.

The hull smacked into the back end of the Great Fox with a loud crash. Several curses rang out over the comm from both ends.

"Are you alright!" Katt cried.

"Yea, we're..." There was silence. Another curse. "My cockpit's cracked. We're losing oxygen, fast."

Katt swore again. "Hang tight, Fox. You're not dying today. Not by my watch. Katt out." She ended the transmission and punched the boost. Nothing happened. She checked her status.

Boost Engine: Severely Damaged

Main Engine: Damaged

She yelled a string of foul words. "Come on!" She pushed the ship forward and toward the docking bay. "You can be damaged after I'm in the docking bay with my still breathing captain, you piece of crap!" She cried. She turned to the window and looked back at the damaged arwing. "Hold on, Fox..."

In his arwing, Fox searched frantically around the cockpit. Krystal's eyes were wide. Air was slowly but steadily escaping through the six inch crack in the cockpit glass. Fox grabbed the first aid kit and pressed a bandage against it.

"Warning: Oxygen Low." The computer said, accompanying the alarm tone that had started up.

"I know!" Fox yelled. He checked the depleting gauge. It wasn't draining as fast, but the levels were still steadily decreasing at a much higher than normal rate.

Krystal was on the edge of tears, but she held them back. She had to stay strong. Her determination was disappearing faster than the oxygen. "What if she doesn't...what if we...?"

"Don't...don't say that. We'll make it. We have to make it."

She stared at him for a moment, and then she kissed him square on the mouth. He blinked. "For luck..." She said.

He leaned in and kissed her deeply, and pulled away after a brief few seconds. "We need all the luck we can get..." He said, pressing the bandage tightly over the arwing's wound. The air was noticeably thin now. He took a deep, slow breath, and held it as long as he could before slowly letting it out. Krystal watched him and caught on. Conserving oxygen... It wasn't a bad idea in their situation.

He stared with growing despair at the pink ship that towed them as the air grew thinner. In order to aim them correctly into the hangar without crashing, she would have to loop around again far enough to pull them in a straight line behind her. With her boosters out of operation and her engine damaged, it would take more than twice as long as it would have with her ship at full capacity.

"Come on...please... you have to make it!" The feline cried, pushing the engine to the max. Tears of desperation clouded her vision. She blinked them away. Her heart was beating fast enough to pump the ships engine by itself. "Please... please, Fox. Don't die on me now... hold on. Just hold on..."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Chapter 3, up and running. THANK GOD. I've never been so relieved to upload a chapter...

Only 17 more to go until I reach the point where I'm not dying as I read it! As with previous chapters, if chapter 4 has a title, it has not been remade into much more understandableness, and therefore... well, read at your own risk.

If there is no title, read on and enjoy the furthering journey of A New Beginning. The revised edition. :)

Until then.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Katt bit her lip anxiously as her ship stuttered and coughed and shook in effort. "Come on!" She cried desperately. "Almost there..." She had almost reached the docking bay gate. Another few yards, plus the time it would take to reel in the stray arwing behind her. "Hang on, Fox..." She whispered.

Fox pressed a button and a single oxygen mask fell. He took a deep breath and held it, switching the mask to Krystal's muzzle. She gasped hungrily at the stale oxygen that had more than likely been in the reserve tank for years. Only a few more minutes and they would be safe. At least there was the reserve. Fox took another breath and handed it again to Krystal. She was still on his lap, staring into his eyes. The gravity stabilizer had switched off, and he had to hold her down on his lap to keep her from tumbling about the cockpit. Her wide blue green eyes were filled with fear.

_The oxygen is getting low..._

He checked the gauge. There was only enough in the tank for four more breaths. Krystal sensed his concern and read his thoughts. She waited until her lungs were burning to take another breath. Fox took one last one and made up his mind not to breathe until they pulled into the docking bay. It was so close... Katt's ship entered the force field and the lengthy tow cable began to reel them in. He felt his resolve weakening as his chest throbbed for much needed air.

Krystal covered her mouth and winced. She was struggling.

One breath left.

Fox pressed the mask over her face. She gasped in the last of the oxygen.

Thirty feet left.

Fox's lungs spasmed. He coughed and gasped, but there was no air. Black spots danced across his vision.

Twenty feet.

His vision blurred further as two soft hands touched his face. Her fingers closed over his nostrils and her lips pressed against his. Air flooded his lungs as she exhaled into his mouth. The spots faded and he stared as she lost consciousness in his arms.

Ten feet.

His lungs spasmed again and he exhaled.

Five feet.

His vision blurred again and the black spots threatened to consume him.

There was a click and a soft hiss as the arwing's cockpit opened and filled with fresh air. He gasped for air and nearly chocked on it. "Katt!" He cried in a hoarse whisper.

"Krystal!" The feline cried. She grabbed the unconscious vixen and dragged her limp body out of the arwing and onto the floor of the docking bay. She took a deep breath and pulsed pressure through her hands to the vixen's chest. "Come on, breathe!" She cried, continuing with the emergency routine.

Fox lurched forward and coughed as air flooded his lungs and his blood. He jumped up but was caught by his seat belt. He quickly unbuckled it and scrambled out of the arwing, unceremoniously landing on his hands and knees. He crawled over to Krystal and Katt.

"Give her mouth to mouth." Katt said.

"What?"

"Just do it!" She snapped.

"Alright!" Fox leaned over her pale face and carefully tilted her head back. He pinched her nose shut and took a deep breath, and then he placed his mouth over hers and forced air into her lungs.

No response.

"Again!" Katt commanded.

Fox took another breath, and again he put his lips to hers and pushed air into her lungs.

Her eyes shot open and she tensed. She coughed once into Fox's mouth. He leaned back to give her space. She rolled over and coughed several times in a row, gasping for air when she could. Fox moved back to her side and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his lap. She closed her eyes, still coughing, as her breath came in short gasps. She turned into his chest and sobbed quietly in relief.

All three were silent as an air of solace spread over them.

Krystal was the one to break the silence as she stood from Fox's arms. "Katt!"

"Hi, Krystal." Katt grinned as she stood up.

"It's been so long!" The two girls embraced.

"Wait...you two know each other?" Fox asked.

"No, we're complete strangers who are hugging because we have never met before." Katt said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Krystal laughed. "Katt came to my planet several years ago before the meteor hit. She was the one who perfected my Lylatian."

Katt smirked proudly. "And Krystal taught me Saurian. Although I'm a bit rusty, I'm not sure if I can still remember anything..."

"So...when you left, you went to Krystal's planet?"

"Cerinia, yes. It's Sauria's twin planet. Well, I guess you could say maternal twins, since they don't look anything alike. But they were made at the same time, and they're the same size, and they're of the same System." Katt explained. She smirked again at Fox's puzzled look. "Don't think about it too hard, you might hurt yourself." She winked. "So, are either of you going to explain how you ended up in that empty arwing..._alone_?" She asked, emphasizing the last word.

Fox blushed at her dirty hint.

Krystal missed the entire exchange. "Well, Fox asked me to join his team, and... I couldn't refuse. But the arwing was low on fuel, and... we didn't exactly make it all the way." She said.

"So you're joining the team? That's...that's awesome! That's great! That's...I'm so glad you came back!"

"So are we!" Krystal said with a giggle. "We might have frozen if you hadn't come alone when you did."

The door opened and Falco stood in the elevator. "What's this...? Some kind of, meeting?"

"You could call it a reunion of sorts." Katt said. "We just got here."

He looked over at the two damaged ships. "The hell happened there?"

Fox winced. "Accident... We'll get them repaired when we reach Corneria."

"We're not going to reach Corneria if we don't get a move on. The whole team's been waiting on you, Foxy."

"I'm here, now. We're all ready." He said.

"Well, good. I'll let Peppy know. He was quite irritated last time he left the bridge. Let's just hope his old age habits will keep him out long enough for us to say it was a dream." He said, turning around and stepping back into the elevator.

The others followed him. The door closed and a second later it opened to the bridge.

"So, Fox, where's she gonna sleep?" Falco asked.

"In Ka-...uhh..." He trailed off. It had just occurred to him that Katt was no longer MIA, and therefore her room would be occupied. He swallowed.

Falco chuckled. "Guess you've got yourself a new roommate, huh?"

Fox cleared his throat and tried to appear calm. "Well... the master room has a couch. It would only be for one night. Once we bring the Great Fox back in to the C.S.S. we can have another room built along with the other upgrades."

Falco smirked. "Uh huh, _sure_..." He chuckled and walked off the bridge.

Katt winked. "Well, I'll just leave you two alone to work things out." She waltzed off, appearing to follow Falco, when in reality she had stopped just outside the bridge door to eavesdrop.

"Well... I wasn't planning on Katt being here, but... I guess it's kind of a good thing she was. So... Until we reach Corneria, which should end up being sometime tomorrow evening, I guess you can just sleep in my room. It's...sizeable... and I'll let you have to bed. There's a couch across the room, and I'll just sleep there." He said.

She smiled, knowing he'd made up his mind and arguing was useless. "Alright... thank you, Fox. You're so kind."

He led her to his room. The sheets were dirty, so he pulled off the blankets and put on clean ones for her.

"Thank you." She said.

"Do you need something to sleep in?" He asked.

She blushed a little and nodded. "I'm afraid so..."

He smiled. "Don't be shy. If you need something, just ask." He walked to the short black dresser in the corner and drew out a large white t-shirt and some black sweat pants with a drawstring. _Heh, who knew I'd actually find a use for these one day?_ He thought, handing them to her. "The bathrooms there, if you'd like to change." He said, pointing to a door to the left of the couch. She smiled and closed it behind her.

Fox walked to his dresser and took out a pair of blue and white plaid boxers. He shed his uniform and tucked it lazily inside the drawer without folding it, and then he slipped into the boxers. He opened the hidden closet door in the corner and took out a top sheet. He unfolded it and then folded it in half and tucked it into the couch, opening it at the top corner. Then he went and got a blanket, and laid it over the sheet. Lastly, he took one pillow from his king-size bed and tossed it on the end he planned his face to go.

The bathroom door opened a few seconds later and Krystal emerged in her borrowed clothes, carrying the bundle of her tribal outfit, her sandals, and her jewelry. She set the bundle down carefully next to the bed and glanced over to Fox. She blinked. He was nude except for his boxers. She had not seen so much of a man's body in a long time. She allowed her eyes to drift over his muscles. It was the first time she truly saw him as a man, not just a shy mercenary.

"Is there anything you need?" He asked.

She smiled and shook her head.

"Are... are you hungry at all? I was going to get a midnight snack..."

She paused for a moment. In all the excitement, she had forgotten about food. As if on cue, her stomach growled. She blushed and giggled. "I... guess I am a little hungry.." He grinned and chuckled.

"Not sure if there's anything really good left, but we'll find out. Our rations will be restored tomorrow once we arrive, so we'll have something good and fresh then."

"That's alright, Fox. I'm not used to fancy food." She said.

She followed him down the hall and into the kitchen. He opened the door and they walked in.

The first thing they saw was Falco's scantily clad rear-end bulging out of the fridge, covered only by white briefs. Krystal gasped and drew her hand to her mouth. Her cheeks turned a deep shade of red.

Fox didn't miss a beat. "Hey, whatever you're looking for, save some for me."

The half-nude avian jerked upright, smacking the back of his skull against the top of the fridge with a terrific bang and a shriek. He turned around with an irritated expression, holding his head with one hand and a beer can with the other. His eyes widened as he saw Krystal's shocked face.

He rolled his eyes. "Yea, whatever..." He said, grumbling to himself as he made a quick exit.

Krystal's face was still quite red. Fox chuckled, oblivious to her utmost shock and embarrassment. He opened the fridge.

"So... we could make a sandwich?"

"Whatever you like." She replied.

"It's your choice." He argued.

She shrugged. "A sandwich is fine."

He took out some bread and mayonnaise. "We're out of mustard. ...and meat." He said.

She giggled. "Mayonnaise sandwich it is."

He smiled and took out a knife. He spread mayonnaise on two pieces of bread, and then matched them with the plain ones. He put the "sandwiches" on a plate. "Dinner is served, madam." He said in a mock formal tone, bowing and handing her a plate. She giggled.

"Why, thank you, kind sir." She said, taking the plate. They ate the sandwiches and returned to Fox's master room.

"Goodnight, Fox." Krystal said, crawling under the crisp white sheets and laying her head on the soft pillow.

"Goodnight." He said, snuggling against the back of the couch beneath the sheet.

Krystal had not realized how tired she actually was; after all, it was past one in the morning now. She closed her eyes and was asleep instantly.

She found herself in another world. The world of her past.

She was standing on the beach, overlooking the sunset as the wind gently tossed her hair around. A voice was heard behind her.

"Shh... calm down. Calm down! It's alright..."

"It's _not_ alright! It's your fault I'm like this! It's your fault I remem..." the girl's voice cracked and she trailed off.

Krystal turned around. She was outside her home. Her mother was there, arguing with the girl she had seen a few times around the village. She was the outcast who wasn't supposed to be allowed into the village. The trouble-maker...

"Shh... it's okay, now. It'll be alright. I can fix it." Keila whispered, drawing her close. It was then that Krystal noticed the glint of a knife in her hand.

"No!" The girl cried. She drew up her hands and shoved the woman away from her. She gasped, drawing her hand back with the now bloody knife.

Keila stumbled backwards, grimacing.

"No! NO!" The girl screamed. She dropped the knife on the ground and fled.

Krystal stared in horror at her mother's body, crumpled on the floor. "No!" She cried. No sound emitted. "_NO!_" She shouted at the top of her lungs. Still it seemed that she was making no sound.

"Krystal..."

She cried out again, but her voice was still mute.

"Krystal!"

She screamed.

"_KRYSTAL!_"

She opened her eyes, looking into those of Fox McCloud. Energy surged through her body. She grunted as a blue light emanated from her body and crashed into the four walls. Fox was thrown to the floor.

She was out of bed in a second and by his side. "Are you alright? What happened!"

He groaned, slowly getting to his feet. "What...what was that?" He asked.

"What was what?"

"That... that thing you did..." He said, staring at her with a concerned look.

She paused. It occurred to her that the blue flash might not have been part of the dream. "Was...that...real?"

"I saw it. You were screaming in your sleep. I was trying to wake you up. You were having a bad dream. But then all of the sudden...you were..._glowing_."

She furrowed her brow. "What could it have been? I haven't the slightest clue why it happened!"

"I... I don't know." He said, in deep thought. "I can't think of anything I've ever heard of that would explain what just happened."

"Do you think... there's something wrong with me?" She asked, looking up into his eyes with a worried expression.

A bit of panic penetrated his mind. "No! Of course not... I mean... It can't be serious. Now that I think of it, I'm not even sure if what I saw was real."

She looked down. "I don't want to cause trouble..."

"What trouble? Nothing even happened. Except your dream." There was a pause as the vividness of Krystal's nightmare returned to her. Fox noticed the slight change in her eyes. "Are... are you okay?"

She nodded, but there were tears in her eyes. She kept her head down to hide them from him. He gently nudged her chin with his finger, tilting her face up. The innocence that showed through her teary eyes was more than enough to melt his heart. He planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

"I'm sorry..." He said softly.

Her face grimaced in anguish and she buried her face in his chest. He held her close as she struggled not to sob. The foolishness of her behavior struck her and she pulled out of the embrace, swallowing her pain with her pride and wiping her tears.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what..." She trailed off, knowing it was a lie.

"It's alright." Fox said kindly, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry I woke you up..."

"No, it's okay. It's not your fault. Are you gonna be alright?"

She nodded. "Yes... thank you."

He smiled. "You're welcome. If you ever need anything, don't be afraid to ask."

She blushed a little, though she wasn't sure why. "Alright... thanks, Fox. I guess we should get some sleep."

"Goodnight, Krystal." He sat on the couch and waited for her to climb into bed before tucking himself beneath the sheet. But as he lay there perfectly awake and staring at the ceiling, the strange occurrence crossed his mind again. He couldn't quite remember exactly what had happened, but he knew it was something extremely out of the ordinary.

And that Krystal too was something beyond ordinary. But perhaps that was why he was attracted to her. These thoughts and worries clouded his mind as he drifted off.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Welcome to Chapter 4. I hope you're enjoying this so far. :)

I've said this a few times before, but just incase you've missed it, if you would like to have a personal update sent to you, please let me know. Even if you don't have an account, I'm sure I can work something out via email or something similar.

As always, chapters in **Bold** with **No title **and only a chapter number are **done**. Example: "**Chapter 4**" means that Chapter 4 has been written over and is now satisfactory to me. "Chapter 4: Blah blah insert title here" means that this is the OLD version, and it has yet to be rewritten.

Enjoy. :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Krystal slowly opened her eyes. She felt as if she had slept for days, and yet the sky was still dark. She rolled over in the soft comfy bed and looked at the digital holographic clock on the nightstand. It read 11:17am. She frowned, trying to remember the symbols and their meanings. It took a few moments for her to remember that am meant morning, and pm meant afternoon or evening. 12:00pm meant the middle of the day. After that, the numbers started over from one.

She sat up slowly and stretched, looking out the window at the billions of stars floating by and remembering that she was in space, and space was always dark. She stood up and stretched out her legs, and then glanced at the couch. It was made up perfectly and Fox was gone.

She groggily rubbed her eye with the heel of her hand and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. The thought of a cool bath crossed her mind. She hadn't bathed since she had been stuck in the prison atop of Krazoa Palace, and although there was a fair amount of rain, it wasn't the same as a nice bath. She crossed to the bathroom and checked to make sure it was empty before opening the door.

The bath tub was much more high tech than the simple ones on Cerinia. For one, it was not a tub. There was a glass door opening into a perfect little square room covered in tiles with a drain in the center. There was a strange looking knob just above her head, and two small knobs at her waist.

She thought back to what Katt had told her about the "showers" they had on Corneria. The knobs were there for the water. One turned on hot water, one turned on cold water. According to Katt, you needed to turn them both to get a nice warm balance. Krystal closed and locked the bathroom door and turned the knob for hot water. From experience she was expecting cold water. The shower did not disappoint.

But to her surprise, after only a few seconds, a stream of steaming hot water singed her fingers. She gasped and stepped back. The water ran neatly to the drain, boiling her toes on its way. She remembered what Katt had said about the balance. Cold water.

She turned the knob on the right and the water cooled significantly into a delicious warm shower.

She giggled a bit from surprise and delight, stepping back into the water and wetting her fur.

_Now this..._ She thought. _This is something I could get used to..._

(**Meanwhile**)

Fox sat in his chair, waiting for the signal to connect. He had to request permission for hyperspace, since the Great Fox had still need of many upgrades. The Warp Gate ability would be one of the first things to add. No more requesting hyperspace from the C.S.S.

He cleared his mind as the low-grade image of a white cat appeared on the hologram system.

"Corneria Space Station. This is the Travel Request line. What's your sector?" She asked. She laid eyes on Fox and her manner changed just slightly.

Fox looked down at his screen and rattled off his coordinates. "Requesting travel to Corneria at standard hyperspace speed."

The cat did a few calculations on the computer in front of her. "I'm sorry... we have a massive freight delivery right through the center. About three thousand cargo ships headed across. You'll have to wait a few hours. Keep your position and check back at 13:00 hours Standard Corneria Time."

"Thank you. Fox out." He ended the transmission with a sigh. He checked the clock. It was 11:43am. Just over one hour left to depart.

_I should see if Krystal is awake..._

He walked down the hall into the sleeping quarters, which were conveniently right next to the bridge. It was one of the things he loved about the old but cherished ship. His door was the first on the right. He opened it.

Light from the hallway flooded the dark room.

A gasp emitted from the corner.

Krystal stood dripping wet and nude by the closet, digging out a towel. The bathroom had been void of such things when she stepped out a few moments before.

The sight of her there, back to him yet still naked, drove more shock into Fox's mind than the moment Andross had revealed himself in the space above Sauria. He stumbled backwards and slammed the door, tripping over his own feet and landing smack on his rear in the middle of the hallway floor.

"Damn. What happened to you. Get kicked out?" Katt asked with a chuckle.

"What!" Fox leapt to his feet and turned around, his face turning red. "No! I just... I couldn't just stand there when she was n...Nevermind."

Katt raised an eyebrow. "Nuh? Nuhh-aked?"

Fox's orange furred face turned red. "What! No!"

Katt snickered and turned to walk away. "Sure... Whatever you say Fox."

Fox stood with his back to the door, running his fingers through the fur on his head. He took a deep breath and walked into the bridge. He pressed the button for the ship's com announcement system. "Attention team, please meet on the bridge for an important meeting in ten minutes." He said.

Katt arrived first. Slippy appeared out of the Docking bay two minutes later, followed by Peppy and Rob.

Krystal, fully dressed in a pair of Katt's old jeans and a slightly low-cut tank top, walked up behind Fox, blushing a bit. "What's going on?"

He glanced at her and blushed. "Team meeting. I just want everyone here so no one has problems with our flight plan." He replied.

"Alright." She reached her right hand over to her left arm and scratched nervously. Each present team member had their respectful seat. Even Falco, although he was missing at the moment.

Fox noticed her looking at the chairs and spoke up, glad for a subject that did not involve their recent embarrassing encounter. "There's not enough seats for you yet... we'll have one more installed when we reach Corneria." He said. "I mean if you want to you could sit on my lap." He mentally kicked himself for choosing that particular moment to blurt out a comment that could be considered flirting.

Krystal flushed and giggled. "That's fine. I'll just stand and watch."

Fox shrugged, glad that she had averted what might have been an even more awkward situation. He glanced at the clock. One minute to go.

Rob turned from his station and scanned Fox. "My sensors indicate Fox's temperature is rising..."

A deep red blush covered his face.

"Are you okay, Fox?"

"Is it just me or is it warm in here?" Fox asked, attempting to cover the robot's annoying bluntness. "Did someone turn on the heater?"

Katt smirked at him. "Nope. It's just you, foxy boy."

Fox coughed to clear his throat. "It's been ten minutes... Where the hell is Falco?" He said quickly. He could not bring himself to look Krystal in the eye.

Peppy sighed. "Just start without him, he'll show up in time for a review quiz on the subject."

Falco came dawdling in the door two minutes late. "I heard my name called. Someone miss me?"

"No, Falco." Fox retorted. "We were just waiting for you to _not_ show up when the team is called for a meeting."

"Aw, waiting for _me_? I feel special!" He grinned broadly and took his seat.

A scoff came from Katt. "Depends what kind of special..." She muttered.

"So, Fox. What's the occasion? Why'd you call us in?" Falco asked.

"I wanted all of you present for determining the flight schedule to Corneria. I'm about to call back the Space Station to see if there's been an opening or a delay of some sort." He said.

Falco got up and scoffed. "Right..." He walked off the bridge and into the hall.

Fox sighed and lifted his left hand to his forehead to rub his temple. "Can someone just...make him take things seriously for once?"

Peppy let out a dry chuckle. "Leave him, Fox. It's not life or death. Even if it was you would hardly get a response out of that one."

Fox shook his head and brought up the com on his laptop. The hologram station in the center buzzed to life.

The white cat's face appeared. "Corneria Space Station. This is the Travel Request line. What's your se-..." She stopped mid-sentence and seemed to stare at Krystal for a few seconds. She looked at Fox. "Star Fox? Is there...something..."

"I'm sorry, it's actually kind of urgent that we reach Corneria as soon as possible. Have any routes opened up? Are there any detours we might be able to take?"

She frowned. "Let me check."

A familiar hatred flooded the feline's veins. _She was supposed to be dead..._ she thought, typing in coordinates on her computer. The 298 kilometer cargo freight that was crossing the space above Corneria would be there for at least another twenty four hours. She suppressed a smirk.

"I'm feeding you the coordinates as we speak. It's a small opening but your ship should be able to squeeze through with several parsecs to spare. Follow the exact course I'm giving you and you will be fine." She said, typing up the coordinates and sending them to the Great Fox's main computer system. With any luck their radar was outdated enough to miss the other ship until it was too late.

Such a shame to end the Star Fox team in such an anti-climatic way, but to rid the world of the filth on board was well worth it. She smiled her sweetest and ended the transmission.

Fox received the coordinates on his laptop and transferred them into the engine's computer. "All set. That was easier than I expected." He said.

Peppy snored once.

Katt chuckled and walked off the bridge, followed by Slippy.

Fox turned to Krystal. There was a troubled look on her face. "You okay?" He asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. It's just..." She trailed off.

"Just...?"

"I...my staff." She suddenly remembered she hadn't seen it since she arrived on the Great Fox. "It... it was a gift from...mo vukxeh'j." She unknowingly slipped into her natural language. "I didn't see it this morning. I can't remember where I left it last..."

"I'll go check the Docking Bay. It might still be in my arwing." Fox said. He got up and left the bridge.

Krystal stood for a moment, staring at the void beyond the window in the bridge. Something didn't feel right... something about the girl on the hologram.

"My sensors indicate your heartbeat is rising. Are you okay, Krystal?" Rob asked.

She turned around. "I'm not sure... Something doesn't feel right." She said. _I know I've seen her before, but where?_ She furrowed her brow in concentration. _There's got to be some memory of her somewhere and I'm just missing it._

She walked into the hall after Katt. The pink feline was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed and a frustrated expression.

"Katt?"

"Huh?" She snapped her attention to Krystal. "What's up?"

"Are you thinking about...that girl?" Krystal asked.

Katt nodded. "Something's not right about her. The way she smiled when she gave us the coordinates. She looked like a...well, no pun intended, like a cat about to send her mouse into a perfect trap and eat it for supper."

"I've got the same feeling." Krystal said. "I can't help feeling like she's familiar. Like I've seen her before somewhere."

Katt nodded again. "Yeah. Only you can't quite tell where."

"Yes!" Krystal said, relieved that she wasn't the only one who felt that way.

"I hate to say it but I really would be surprised if we made it all the way to Corneria without any incidents, or..._accidents._" Katt said.

"I really hope not. I mean I hope we make it okay. Without the accidents." Krystal replied nervously.

Katt sighed. "I agree. Last night was enough excitement for a little while. I'd prefer something more thrilling and less life-threatening. Speaking of which, I'd like some explaining from you on what happened after I left in Kevin's ship. As far as I know the whole bloody planet went up in flames."

Krystal shook her head. "I hardly remember, really... It's one of those memories you keep behind a door in your mind... one of those doors that tends to remain closed until forced open."

Katt nodded. "I understand... did anyone else survive?"

Krystal shook her head. "Well, there was... Tony... I ran into him on Sauria during Scales' raid. He...he was killed."

Katt reached out for her friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I know he meant a lot to you."

Krystal offered a half smile and shook her head. "It's...there's nothing we can do now. Besides, I..." She blushed.

Katt grinned mischievously. "Yeah?"

"I think I...I kind of..."

"You're into Fox now, aren't ya?" Katt smirked.

Krystal blushed deeply. "Well... when you put it that way..."

Katt laughed. "I called that one. So completely obvious."

Krystal's eyes widened in shock. "Is it?"

"Relax, love. He's clueless. Besides, he more than returns the same feelings. I mean I'm sure you knew this already."

Krystal grinned a bit and blushed. "It got kind of awkward earlier..."

"Was this when I found him out here on the floor looking like he'd seen a ghost?"

Krystal burst out laughing. "Did you?"

"I walked out of my room just minding my own business, and I saw him going into his room. Well all the sudden he comes flying out backwards like he got hit by a propelling missile, trips over himself and lands on his ass in the middle of the floor. I mean not gonna lie it was the funniest thing I've seen in years but what the hell scared him so bad?"

Krystal covered her mouth to try and stop her laughter. "Well, see I decided to take a shower when I woke up, but when I was done, there were no towels...So I stepped out to look for one and all of the sudden the door opened and I saw Fox standing there. I was so shocked I couldn't even move, and then he just backed out like time reversed itself."

Katt made no attempt to stifle her bursting laughter, clutching her sides and leaning against the wall. "Oh wow...that explains a lot." She managed, still laughing. "Poor guy."

Krystal giggled a bit, her cheeks turning red. "I should probably go find him. I think he was looking for my staff in the Docking Bay. What's the Docking Bay?"

"It's another word for a hangar. Where you came in last night, in the arwing. They keep the ships there and the door opens when they deploy or come in."

"Oh, I know where I'm going now." Krystal said. "Thanks."

"Yeah... by the way can I use that story against Fox?"

"No!" Krystal cried, her face turning red again.

Katt sighed. "Fine...I'll have to find other ways to get on his nerves."

Krystal chuckled as she walked back onto the bridge. Peppy was snoring still in his chair. Rob turned to look at her for a moment and then went back to his corner of the ship's computer.

It was so quiet aside from the few clicks and beeps from Rob.

Krystal turned toward the Docking Bay and stepped into the air-tight chamber that served as an elevator to the main hangar and the guest dock. The door closed behind her and another one opened in front of her.

She stood for a moment before stepping out into the hangar. Fox sat quietly inside his arwing, holding her staff in his hands and examining it. He didn't seem to have noticed her. She hesitated, just watching him turn over her weapon in his hands and study it. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind about him. She contemplated reading his mind, but decided against it. His troubled thought patterns were enough to let her know that it was personal.

Telepath or not she had no right to his personal problems.

There he was, world wide hero and icon. He had the power to kill or to let live. He had the strength to maim and to heal. He had the knowledge to take down any simple minded fool or build up a wounded soul. He had the words to inspire a civilization or anger an army.

And yet here he was, just a man in his ship staring at a mysterious weapon. He held in his hands the power to unravel a universe and yet he did not know.

She smiled to herself. This was a man she could fall in love with. Someone she could see herself with years from now. She blinked and cleared her mind. No use sitting here with wishful thinking. She had only a slight idea of how he felt about her, and despite her abilities she could not bring herself to take advantage of his open mind in such a way.

For now, waiting for things to work themselves out was the only option she had.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Another chapter down, several more to go... Enjoy the rewrite. :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Fox sat quietly in his arwing, holding the weapon that had saved his life numerous times in his last mission only a day ago. There was a certain sentimental value to it. When he had left it with Krystal on the roof of the Krazoa palace, he never dreamed he would ever miss it. Yet here he was, hesitating to return what was not his own.

Then there was the deal of the mysterious person she had mentioned. It was a gift, but from who? His knowledge of the Saurian language ended with the battery for Slippy's translator. She could have been talking about a friend, her parents even. But the possibility that she had been talking about a past lover got to his mind more than anything. He did not know why such a jealousy had appeared so suddenly and strongly for that matter. He had nothing to be jealous for. She was here with him, not with anyone from her past.

There was the fact that she was not really with _him_, just there within the same area. But that was a higher position than anyone from her past held at the moment.

_Calm down, Fox. Maybe she was only talking about a family member… so why was she so emotional about it? She looked like she was about to cry. Maybe it was a dead family member? That's horrible… you ought to be ashamed for being so worked up… but at the same time… I have a right to be jealous. I like her, a lot… maybe a little more than like. Maybe…maybe a little more than a lot… No. This has to stop. She said that kiss was nothing. It was just a test of character… for her safety. But she can read minds, couldn't she just have sensed if I was out to harm her?_

He sighed, twirling the staff in his hands. Movement from his right caught his eye and he looked over to see Krystal in the doorway. He nearly jumped. "How…how long have you been standing there?" He asked.

She shrugged. "Oh…about ten seconds?"

"Oh… I… I found your staff." Fox said.

She walked over and climbed onto the wing of the Arwing. "Thank you." She said. He reluctantly handed it to her. She grinned, sensing his reluctant emotions. "You miss it?" She asked.

He blushed. "Yeah, a little… I mean, it's just a…"

She frowned. "I don't think you know."

"What?"

"This staff… it's alive, you know. Maybe it doesn't have will of it's own enough to get up and walk away. But it's alive nevertheless. You can feel it…if you listen…" She closed her eyes, holding onto the shortened staff.

Fox watched in amazement as it began to glow a bright blue. The glow engulfed Krystal as well, growing brighter and brighter. She opened her eyes.

The glow instantly ceased.

Fox blinked a few times, wondering if he was seeing things. He cleared his throat. "So, you…you said the staff was a gift…"

"Yes."

"From who?" He asked.

She hesitated, looking at him. "My…father…" She turned away.

He looked down. By the tone in her voice and the way she had averted her gaze, he had a feeling that her father was dead. "Is he…?"

"He's dead." She stated plainly.

"I'm sorry…"

"He died two years ago, on my planet. It was the day the village perished. I was the only one I know of who survived. There was another survivor, but he…he died as well."

"You're…the last of your kind." Fox said, staring at her again.

"Yes." She still did not return his gaze. He wanted to ask her what happened, but he was too scared to bring up hurtful memories for her. She sensed this and took a deep breath. "I barely even know what happened… it was chaotic. I was outside with Katt. We were talking about my brother… she used to like him. He had returned a week before from one of his long journeys into space. We heard a scream from the village… the sun turned dark. There was only red light everywhere. I thought it was just an eclipse, but when I looked at the sky, there was a meteor… a huge one, headed right for the village. I told Katt to warn the village to get into the forest, and I ran to my father inside. I told him there was a meteor coming. He looked so frightened… I had never seen my father scared. He wasn't even looking at me. He was looking behind me…

"I turned around, and there was someone there. He was wearing a cloak, hiding his true identity. My telepathy didn't work on him at all. I didn't even sense him as a life form. He held a gun… he shot my father in the chest, and then walked out. I didn't know what to do… my father called me over to him. He handed me his staff and told me to save myself… he said there was no hope. We were all going to die. I was so frightened… I ran. The meteor was coming closer. Little bits of it came ahead, starting small fires throughout the village. The people were panicking, running everywhere. I screamed at them to run, away from the village. They wouldn't listen… I ran to find my brother's ship. It was gone. So was he… So I did what anyone would do. I fled. I ran out of the village and deep into the forest. I felt the meteor hit… I felt them dying…"

A tear ran down her cheek. Fox stared at her, wide eyed with sorrow filling his soul.

"I fell down with the quake that the meteor caused…when I got up, I was so disoriented... I hardly remember what happened. There was a CloudRunner there. He helped me get onto his back and he flew away, through a warp gate to Sauria. He saved my life…"

"I'm sorry…" Fox said. He reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder.

Krystal realized she was crying. She wiped her tears and turned away from him. "Well, it's… it's over now. There's... no one left but me."

Fox carefully climbed out of his seat and sat next to her on the wing. She made no move to pull away as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to his chest. He rested his cheek on her head. "I'm sorry… I know what it's like to lose a father… my father was killed a few years ago by a menace called Andross. The same beast killed my mother by accident when I was very young. He meant to kill my father, but… he got her instead. He came back ten years later to finish what he started. My mother died... so long ago. I don't even remember losing her…"

"I'm sorry…" Krystal said softly. She pulled out of his embrace and looked at him, placing her hand on his cheek. "I guess you could say we are alike, both orphans now."

He offered a half smile. "Me? Like you? I don't know how that's even possible. You're an angel." He had not meant to speak out loud, but now that the words were out there he dare not wish them back.

She blushed. "I don't think so… I'm just an ordinary person like you."

He shook his head. "There's no such thing as an ordinary person." He glanced at her lips. The longing to kiss her grew in his heart. He leaned in, but she turned away.

Peppy's voice came over the intercom. "Fox, you're needed on the bridge."

Fox hopped off the arwing and exited the docking bay.

Peppy sat in his chair on the bridge, turned toward the door. "We're awaiting orders to enter hyperspace."

Fox cleared his throat. "Right." He walked to the comm system and pressed the button. "Attention team, we are about to enter hyperspace. T minus one minute. Brace yourselves."

Rob entered in a few codes on the main system and Peppy set in the route the girl from the space station had sent them. Krystal wandered in from the docking bay.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"The ship is about to enter hyperspace. It's a bit outdated, and uh… a little rough." Fox explained. "You can take Falco's seat for now. Hang on."

"Fox, would you care to do the honors?" Peppy offered.

Fox grinned childishly. "Everyone ready?" Rob turned around and latched his hands onto the metal bar designed for rough moments. Krystal hopped into Falco's seat and held onto the arm rests. Peppy sat back into his seat, secured his personalized seat belt, and then gripped the handles he had personally installed for just this purpose.

Fox tapped the comm button. "Entering hyperspace in five…four…" As he talked he ran up into Rob's area and grabbed a lever. "…two…one…"

The ship lurched with a tremendous force, throwing Fox across to the metal bar. He grabbed it with a whoop and nearly flipped over it, laughing hysterically.

Krystal shrieked, being halfway thrown from her seat but still clinging to the armrest.

Peppy's chair turned about and attempted to throw him out, but his seat belt held him in the chair. He shouted in surprise, gripping the handles in the chair.

The stars in the windows blended into streaks and the ship stabilized itself. The three team members on the bridge were laughing hysterically at their own clumsiness. Katt's voice came on through the bridge speakers.

"Hey, you guys ever gonna turn off the comm or do we all get the pleasure of listening in to your conversations forever?"

Fox steadied himself, vaulted over the railing and switched off the comm while laughing. He turned to Krystal, who was still clinging to Falco's armrest despite laughing.

"You okay?" He asked.

She was laughing too hard to respond coherently. "That... c-crazy!" She managed.

Peppy hooted from his chair. "If it's not too much, my seat belt's gotten stuck again…"

Fox walked swiftly over to him and tugged on the buckle. It didn't budge. He pressed the button and jerked it. It broke off. "Damn thing… It's alright. We'll get a nicer one when we reach Corneria." He said.

Peppy shook his head. "I'd rather focus on the new warp gate technology, and perhaps some better stabilizers. Then we can worry about little details."

"There's plenty enough for all of that." Fox said. "We've got enough to rebuild the entire ship from scratch and retire the whole team comfortably if we wanted."

Krystal had picked herself off the ground and was leaning over the metal railing. "It's a nice ship." She said. "But something tells me you're not going to retire any time soon." She winked at him.

Fox chuckled. "Nah. We got a few years left in this old thing. I figure, we could re-advertise across the galaxy, rack up a nice fortune, and then quit while we're way ahead." He grinned.

Peppy chuckled. "I think I'll be taking my retirement earlier than the rest of you."

Fox and Krystal both stared at him.

"Not right now, no. I've still got a couple of years left in these old bones… but you'll probably be in business long after I'm gone."

"Peppy, don't say things like that." Fox said.

"Well not talking about it isn't gonna put off the inevitable. I'm getting too old for this sort of thing…"

Fox looked down. Krystal walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. She sensed the sentimental feelings he had for Peppy.

Peppy stood from his chair. "Nah, you know me. I'll be up here with you all, fighting off bad guys with my walker and dentures… throwing medication at them and beating them over the head with a cane."

They all burst out laughing at the mental image.

Rob spoke up. "My sensors indicate, there is a cargo fleet in space ahead. If our flight path is not altered, we will collide in approximately one hour."

Fox looked up. "That's impossible. The girl from the Space Station gave us a route around it."

Rob nodded. "Our coordinates are set to cross with the freight in approximately one hour."

Fox shook his head. "No. A trained operative at the Space Station couldn't be that careless. There's got to be a loophole you're overlooking."

"I have considered all possible outcomes on this route. All outcomes end in our termination." Rob replied.

Fox sighed. "No, that can't be right. There must be something she knows that we don't. She wouldn't lead us right into a cargo fleet. That…" He paused, thinking over what he was saying. "That would kill us…" He shook his head and turned away. "What's our estimated time to Corneria?"

"On our current course, we will reach Corneria in 2 days for the funeral service."

Fox reached his hand up to his forehead, covering his eyes. "Rob. We are not going to crash this ship. Factoring that into your equation, what is the E.T.A. at Corneria?

"Estimated time of arrival at Corneria with no collision is approximately one hour and thirty minutes." Rob replied.

Fox sighed heavily. Krystal's eyes were wide. "It's alright. He glitches sometimes. We'll get him repaired when we get to the city."

"No, it's not that, it's… when she gave you the coordinates, I got…a bad feeling…"

"A trained space operative?" Fox asked.

Peppy shrugged. "You never know, Fox. There are some twisted people out there."

Fox shook his head. "Not that twisted. Not in the space station." He walked out of the room with a frustrated air.

Peppy and Krystal exchanged looks. "I dunno. I don't think you're the only one who doesn't fully trust that cat."

"I just know she can't be trusted. I can't help but think I've met her before… but that's impossible. I just… I've got a bad feeling about this."

Peppy laughed. "That's one line you should never say. Always leads to trouble."

Krystal covered her mouth. "Oh! I'm sorry… I didn't know."

He nodded. "It's alright, sweetie." He walked slowly toward the door. "Well if you don't mind, I'm going to go catch a quick nap. No one takes my advice about crashing, and if I'm gonna end up dying I would rather go in my sleep." He chuckled. "But in all seriousness, set the alarm off if you find that we really are in danger."

She nodded. "I'll do my best… I didn't come all this way to let the whole ship just crash."

Peppy left.

Krystal wandered around the bridge, admiring the outdated technology that was still so far ahead of her home planet. She looked out the clear window into space and froze in awe. The stars were all blurred around the ship into a beautiful, brilliant array of colors that all met up in one point at the front center of the window.

She stood there for what seemed like hours, but it was only about twenty-five minutes in total, mesmerized by the glory of space.

Fox walked back onto the bridge. Krystal sensed his presence, but continued staring out the window. He walked up behind her and stood silently.

He kept quiet for a good two or three minutes. "It's... beautiful, isn't it?" He asked.

She smiled a bit and nodded slightly. The silence settled in for another minute.

Fox looked down. "I'm sorry for being…difficult…a minute ago. It's just…preposterous. Why would the space station want to harm us?"

The vixen glanced at him after a moment of silence and shrugged. "Crazed fan?" She suggested. Then she returned to staring at the stars.

Fox sighed. "If it makes you feel better… we could take a few scans when we get close."

Krystal nodded. "That would probably be best."

Fox checked the device on his arm for the time. "I'll give it about five minutes. That should be enough to get a readout."

(**Meanwhile**)

A certain white feline sat anxiously at her post, cracking the codes for the jamming signal that would successfully hide the cargo fleet from the Great Fox.

It was illegal.

She would be fired if caught.

She would definitely be caught.

Her eyes narrowed. _Worth it._

The girl inhaled slowly through her nose, savoring the moment as she sent the signal through space… a momentary blip that would at best decimate the Star Fox team. At worst, cripple their ship beyond repair and kill all passengers. A smile crept onto her face. _This time, she dies._

(**Back to the Great Fox**)

Fox typed up a few things on his computer and pressed enter. The hologram emitter in the center of the bridge coughed to life and spat out the fuzzy image of space around the Great Fox. There was nothing in its general vicinity.

"See? Nothing."

Krystal stared hard at the image. "I've got a bad feeling…" She trailed off. "I think we should stop."

Fox looked at her. "The scan shows there's nothing…"

"Stop."

"What?"

"Stop the ship, right now!" She cried.

"What're you-"

Krystal darted to the control board where Rob was. "You have to make it stop!" She grabbed her head and collapsed to her knees with a shriek.

Fox leaped up and darted by her side. He yanked the emergency stop lever and switched on the comm at the same time. "Everyone hold on!" He cried.

He vaulted the railing, plopped into his seat, and activated the manual control levers. They popped out of the armrests. He grabbed both handles and yanked the controls for a sharp left.

The entire ship shook and g-force sent everything forward and to the right with a violent crash.

Fox looked out the window and his jaw dropped. He gripped the controls and groaned in effort to hold them steady while not falling out of his seat with the altered gravity direction.

The right wing of the Great Fox scraped into the side of the massive ship Fox had seen just seconds before. He pulled harder on the controls and hit the side boost. Krystal cried out, holding onto the railing for dear life. Rob had been thrown into the controls and was now in pieces, sparks flying everywhere.

The ship steadied and the G-Diffusers kicked in.

Fox heaved a breath of relief. He walked over to the window an looked outside. Sure enough, just as Krystal had said, a massive ship from the cargo fleet had been directly in their path.

He turned to her. She had pulled herself off the ground and was staring at him.

"You…you saved our lives…" He said.

Falco's angry voice came from the comm. "What the HELL was that? Are you trying to kill us all or what! Who's driving up there!"

Fox stood frozen, staring at Krystal. "If you hadn't told me to stop, I would've…" He trailed off, putting his fingers to his forehead.

"Fox! Yo! Who's up there?"

Krystal turned around and pressed the button for the comm. She was learning fast, just by watching the others. "This is Krystal. The ship was stopped to avoid a collision with a cargo ship from a fleet. Sorry to inconvenience you all, but show a little respect because your captain just saved all our lives."

"What?" Falco asked. "What cargo fleet? That chick from the C.S.S. told us-"

"She lied." Krystal interrupted. "For whatever reason, she wanted us dead. So just be grateful you're alive." She switched off the comm and turned to Fox. "Thank you…"

"…for what?" He asked.

"For believing me…" She offered a half smile.

He looked down. "I wish I had listened to you sooner…"

She shook her head. "The girl sent a signal to jam your ship's radar capabilities. You might not have seen it until it was too late."

He gave her a sideways glance. "How did you know she sent a jamming signal?"

"When you turned on your radar… it was blank for a second, then it showed the ship… but no stars…"

He looked thoughtful. "No stars on radar… That could have been just a normal thing. How did you know there were supposed to be stars on the radar?"

"I saw the images in your mind. I didn't have time to ask… the only conclusion was a signal to jam this one spot in your radar. If we had been farther away, it would have worked just fine."

He just looked at her for a minute. "You're brilliant…"

She blushed and shrugged. "I try…"

He chuckled and switched on his comm. "Alright, team. I'm gonna steer us up and over the cargo ships. We're going home."

(**Corneria City Docking Bay, some time later…**)

Fox gently guided the Great Fox down and into the private dock provided by the military general.

Katt and Krystal had spent the half hour it took to enter atmosphere picking out select clothes that belonged to Katt for Krystal to borrow until further notice. Together they entered the bridge.

Krystal had donned a pair of skinny blue jeans and some black and white shoes similar enough to our planet's Converse to earn that nickname from the author. Her shirt was a white spaghetti-strap tank.

Fox caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye. He looked over and eyed her new look for a good five seconds, then looked away before it was considered staring.

The rest of the team filed in over the course of three minutes, each with their respective luggage. Katt carried a pink backpack and a matching pink over-stuffed suitcase.

The fact that that particular suitcase could be overstuffed was something only Katt would be able to do. The suitcase was made with a certain technology that was not only incredibly expensive, but also incredibly rare and hard to come by. This technology was that of a thought to be extinct race. It enabled an object meant for storage to be bigger on the inside than it was on the outside, bending all laws of dimension and space. Her suitcase's interior was big enough to fit 2 people comfortably inside with space to spare.

Of course, this much stored inside meant that the suitcase demanded wheels and a device which would lessen the gravity pull to even be lifted.

Krystal carried a white purse that had come from Katt's suitcase, which she stuffed with two pairs of jeans, three tank tops, one pair of flip flops, her Cerinian clothes, her staff, and four pairs of socks.

Slippy, Peppy, Fox and Falco carried only backpacks.

Slippy stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Rob, lying in pieces on the floor in the corner. "Wha-? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" He shrieked.

Falco rolled his eyes. "Chill out, Slip. We've got the cash to build a hundred of him."

"What if his core memory is damaged? I'll have to entirely reprogram him!"

"Chill. Just...take deep breaths. He'll be fine. We'll come here first thing in the morning and get him. Alrighty?" Falco said.

Slippy got up from the floor and walked away slowly, staring longingly at the broken heap of parts.

Fox opened the passenger ramp from the bridge, and they piled into the elevator which served as a transport around the huge ship. It took them down to the ramp. Fox closed the ramp from the device on his arm.

"Where are we going now?" Krystal asked.

"A hotel. General Pepper should have a car waiting for us. We've rented out six rooms on the top floor. It's a really nice place. I think you'll like it. Everything's prepaid for the next three weeks. After that the Great Fox should be fully repaired and ready for travel."

Peppy heard this and chuckled under his breath. "That ship needs a lot more than a few repairs…" He muttered to himself.

Sure enough, a long black hover car was waiting outside of their dock to take them to the hotel. There was a police escort waiting as well. Fox had argued several times before, but the General insisted that it was standard procedure for a mercenary team as well known and relied on as team Star Fox to be protected at all times.

He had, however, managed to argue the General out of the twenty-four hour security guard watch at the hotel.

The team filed into the limousine, buckled their seat belts and the car shot off toward the big city.

(**Meanwhile…**)

"That signal was a deliberate attempt on that crew's life! You sabotaged their radar and tried to lead them directly into that cargo fleet. Your job is on the line right now, but if you tell me _why _you did it, I might not turn you into the police. I'm half tempted to kill you myself. Do you even know whose lives it was you almost took?" The angry golden-furred Labrador lectured her in a sharp tone, pacing back and forth in front of his desk.

The white feline sat poised and quite cross in a seat by the window. She had already been transferred down to the planet and was in the office of the manager of her section of the space station. The window behind her showed a clear view of the public docking bay and above it, the sky.

If she sat just so, she had a clear view of that sky in the reflection of a large picture frame on the far wall. She had to slouch a little to her right so that the view in the reflection was to its maximum potential. As she had done for the last thirty minutes in reply to the Labrador's scolding and questioning, she remained silence except for the occasional cross glare and coy smile.

"If you don't start giving me answers, and I mean fast, I'm calling the police."

She sighed, rolling her eyes. When she looked back at the picture frame, she noticed a large grey ship heading down through the sky. She turned around in her seat to make sure it was the one she was looking for. Sure enough, the symbol of a fox with wings was stamped on the side.

She rose. "Well I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have a previous engagement I must attend to."

"You sit down!" The dog bellowed.

The cat promptly pulled the small gun that was tucked in the back of her belt and shot him between the eyes. "No, I don't think I will." She switched on the safety and tucked the gun into the side of her belt. "It's been a pleasure, sir, but I think I will resign."

She walked out the door, objective clearly in mind.

First, she found the private car she knew would be waiting for them. She knocked on the driver's window.

"Excuse me, can you help me?"

The driver, a squirrel, rolled down the window. She carefully leaned in the window.

"Yes? What is it you need?"

She put both her hands on his face and snapped his neck before he could object. With the window down, she unlocked the car door and climbed in, shoving the body over to the passenger side and donning the hat he had been wearing. She rolled up the window and locked the door.

Then she checked the gun in her belt. 5 shots left… not enough to finish off the whole team, but that was alright. A slight kink in her original plan, but as long as the original objective was cleared.

She only needed one.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Well my original plan was to have the end of each rewritten chapter coincide with the beginning of the next chapter….BUT. Since I am the author and the story demands more details and a deeper storyline… Well, sorry. You're just gonna have to deal with it for a while.

Don't worry, it will be fixed soon.

_Vivian: _And by "soon" you mean…

_Me:_ I mean soon. Shut up. I told you, I'm not going to leave this undone unless I die.

_Vivian:_ Hmm…

_Me: _**Don't even THINK ****about it!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Down below the surface of Corneria's massive and beautiful oceans lay a magnificent underwater city, protected by a shield. Below the shield was a layer of 12 inch enhanced pressurized laser-proof clear metal. It was nearly the equivalent to impervious and shatter-proof glass.

On the top layer of the clear metal, where the sky would be, there was a holographic programmed screen made to show the sights from the sky above. During the day, the roof and sides showed blue sky or clouds, whichever the weather man decided would reign in the open air above. At night, the roof darkened to show the many stars. The probe cameras above the surface instantaneously transferred the direct images. If a ship flew by above, it would show on the roof of the dome.

The ocean floor had been covered carefully with a metal alloy electrically charged from one of the many surface generators to support the many cars and buildings. The alloy met the clear metal at the circular edge of the underwater city where it was sealed permanently by the toughest sealing material in the nearest ten galaxies. The city itself was sealed in safely, attached to the city above ground by an eight lane freeway that soared up through the water, protected by a tunnel which was made in the same fashion as the city's boundaries.

Driving along this freeway heading down into the magnificent globe of a city was a long black hover limo with two police escorts. The driver of said limo was following the escorts in an incredibly cross mood, waiting for an opportune moment to strike and yet knowing that she would not get one.

A hundred foolish plots of how to kill the woman now sitting in the back of the limo had gone through her mind. The one which sounded most tempting was to use the five shots left in her gun to rid herself of the rest of the team, and then strike the frightened girl over the head with the handle until she was dead.

The problem with this plot was that then she would not be able to drive the car.

The only sane and possible way to kill her enemy would be to wait until they reached their destination. The realization that she had killed the driver and would have to somehow elude the police escorts and possibly have to leave with them to return the limo stalled that plan. She would have to come back later, unless she could sneak out of the limo without the police noticing…

An idea formed in her mind. She flipped open her cell phone and dialed the number for a woman who worked for the press.

"Hello?"

"Hi Carol. I know you don't know me, I worked a desk at the Corneria Space Station. I have some information that you might like to know about the Star Fox mercenary team."

"Yes?"

"They are heading now in a limousine escorted by two police cars to the Corneria Inn, in the center of the ocean city."

"Are you sure?"

"I am in the limousine with them. I watched their ship, the Great Fox, land in the docking bay."

Carol squealed in delight. "Oh this is marvelous! Thank you! But may I ask where you got this number?"

Vivian closed the phone, ending the call before she was forced to explain how she stole it from a colleague's address book a few weeks prior in order to do some investigating on a now trivial matter.

She heaved a sigh and gripped the steering wheel. Almost there… With any luck the press and a sizeable group of fans would show up before they arrived. That would keep the police busy long enough for her to throw the squirrel's body in the back and at least get a few words in to that devil she'd sworn to kill.

Maybe she would even be lucky enough to pull off a shot to the face.

(**In the back…**)

The cars pulled up to the front of the incredibly tall hotel. Fox looked out the window of the limo and groaned. "I thought he said this wouldn't get out to the press. This is just great… welcome home." He scoffed.

Falco laughed. "Embracing the publicity, eh Fox? You'll warm up to it."

Katt rolled her eyes. "Sorry love, not everyone is as big an attention whore as you."

"Hey!"

Krystal stared in awe at the growing crowd. Within a matter of seconds even traffic had come to a halt to see the famous Star Fox team emerge from the limo.

Falco flipped on the live news channel on the holographic screen in the limo. "Look! There we are!"

"…team has not yet left their private escort. The crowd here is going wild, Bill! It looks like we aren't the only ones excited to see our favorite heroes come home." A young tabby cat with her hair and makeup done to perfection was standing three feet from the limo, talking into a microphone in front of the camera.

The windows were tinted black.

"I'm gonna go talk to them…" Falco said.

Fox grabbed his arm. "Don't you dare."

"C'mon! They're our fans!"

Katt spoke up. "Open that door and I will shoot you myself." He hesitated. "Don't think I won't do it, either." She pulled her gun from her purse.

"Put that away!" Fox hissed. "If they see that everyone's going to run and panic. Wait for the police to handle it."

The two police dogs had climbed off their hover bikes and were trying to usher the crowd away.

Krystal grabbed Fox's arm. "Something's not right." She said.

He turned around in his seat. "What is it?"

"I don't know… it's…" She closed her eyes to concentrate. "I think it's the driver. There's someone in the front seat."

Fox stared for a moment at the tinted window that separated them from the cabin. "Let's get out. On the count of three, we run. Straight out, straight into the hotel. The guards won't let all of those people in. They'll have to leave. I'm going to ask for a transfer to a different hotel. This time, we're taking a cab. Alright?"

Everyone stared at him expectantly.

"On the count of three. All in order. One…two…three!"

Falco shoved out first, arms spread wide as if to embrace the crowd. Security had come from the hotel and were helping the police to stop the massing crowd. Falco walked right up to the camera. "Hi, guys!" He grinned and waved.

Fox and Krystal rushed out next. He pulled her through the door and sighed in relief. Slippy and Peppy strolled in next. Katt had grabbed Falco by the feathers on the back of his head and dragged him inside.

Somewhere in the middle of everything, they had missed the driver of the limo, who quietly snuck inside the lobby and had taken a seat by the door. She flipped open a magazine and pretended to be reading it.

Fox stood by the counter, talking to the receptionist about a transfer to a different hotel.

Katt and Falco were arguing about Falco's diversion techniques.

Slippy and Peppy were talking about the rebuilding plans for the Great Fox.

Krystal felt the presence of the driver in the lobby. She turned around and stared for a good minute, trying to decipher the girl's thought patterns. They were encoded and jumbled, as if she had spent years trying to hide her real thoughts from a skilled telepath. The one thing that made any sense was a single repeating sentence.

_Your mind tricks won't work on me. Your mind tricks won't work on me. Your mind tricks won't work on me._

It took Krystal a moment to realize that the girl's thoughts were not in Lylatian. They were in her home language.

Saurian.

This realization caught her off guard. She gasped, staring intently at the magazine that hid the girl's face.

A pair of blue eyes met Krystal's for a split second.

"You…you're that girl from the space station…"

She closed the book and set it on the table next to her. "Yeah? What of it?"

"Your thoughts are in Saurian language."

The cat frowned. "How do you know that?"

"I'm a telepath. Your mind is coded and hidden so that no one can decipher your thoughts. You tried to kill us."

The girl chuckled. "'Us?' I tried to kill _you_."

"Why?"

She cocked her head to the side. "You don't recognize me, do you?"

"Why would I?"

"You don't even know."

"No, I don't. So tell me."

"All these years and you haven't got a clue."

"A clue of what? You're crazy."

The blue eyes darkened like a cloud had passed over them. "You'd better be careful where you turn your back, little girl. One of these days I'm going to put a bullet in it. You're just lucky that this was the day I decided not to be caught."

Krystal stared in shock.

"Hey, everything okay over there?" Falco called.

The white cat stood up. "Shut your face, bird."

"What was that?" He took a step forward but Katt grabbed his arm.

"Falco, don't you dare."

"That bitch called me a bird." He said, fuming.

"You have no right to call a stranger by that name, and for gosh sakes you _are_ a bird!" Katt snapped.

He turned to her, eyes bulging. "Well _you're a pink cat!_" He shouted.

"_YES I AM!_" Katt shouted louder. "Now fly off and bathe in a fountain, feather face."

Falco balled his hands into fists, but made no return comment.

In all the commotion, the white cat had taken her leave.

Krystal ran to the glass doors and looked outside. There was no sign of her in the crowd that still lingered. A hedgehog with a camera snapped her photo through the glass. She flinched and backed away.

Katt walked up to the window and spread her arms in a challenging way toward the hedgehog. He lifted the camera. Katt pulled out her gun and shot a laser clean through the glass without shattering it, and directly into the camera lens where the laser dissolved before reaching the hedgehog's face.

He lowered the broken camera and stared. She smirked, waved, and blew him a kiss before walking toward the front desk.

Fox was trying to talk the receptionist into making a call in order to switch the team's hotel rooms to a different hotel without unjustly charging them for another set of rooms.

She didn't seem intelligent enough to understand simple words in her own language.

He finally talked her into giving him her phone and the number for the closest hotel in the planet-wide chain. "Hello?"

"Hi, I'm calling from the Corneria Inn on Sixteenth Street in the underground. My friends and I have already paid for six rooms but I was wondering if there is any way we could transfer those rooms to your location instead."

"Yes, I believe so. What name are the rooms registered under?" The receptionist on the other end asked.

"Fox McCloud."

"Fo-…the mercenary team?" The girl cried in disbelief.

"Yes."

"Oh of course!"

"I'm terribly sorry about any inconvenience. It's just that word got out that we're here, and now we've got the paparazzi breathing down our necks."

"Oh I'm so sorry! The computer says here your rooms are on the top floor. Would you like to keep the same room numbers when you transfer?"

"Yes, please, if they're available."

"They are indeed! I'm sorry about your problem, if they follow you here we can have security come and chase them off for you."

"Thank you. We'll be there shortly."

Fox handed the phone back to the receptionist and turned to the team. "Alright. Here's the plan. We split up into three groups and take separate cabs. If you're spotted, run the opposite way of the hotel and lose them. We're trained mercenaries. We ought to be able to ditch a few paparazzi and crazy fans. Got it?"

"Yessiree!" Katt said enthusiastically.

"Slippy and Peppy, you two stay together. You most likely won't be the first to be recognized. Krystal, you're with me. Falco and Katt…" He trailed off, seeing the smirk on Katt's face and the horrified expression on Falco's. He sighed. "Grow up. Work it out. Let's go."

They walked quickly toward the back exit. "Alright. Slippy and Peppy, you guys go first. Page me when you're in the cab."

The hare and the toad slipped out the door and to the backstreet, down an alley and to the sidewalk. They hailed the first cab they saw after only a few seconds.

Fox's wrist communicator beeped. "Alright. Katt and Falco, you're next. If you see any fans or reporters let me know."

The avian and the feline exited the door, tailed closely by the suitcase Katt was dragging behind her.

Fox and Krystal stood waiting by the door.

"I received a death threat earlier…" Krystal said.

He turned from watching through the glass to staring wide-eyed at her. "What! From who?" He demanded.

"I think it was that girl from the space station. The one who gave you directions into the cargo fleet."

"Are you sure?"

"No. It could have been her twin sister." She said sarcastically.

"What did she say?"

"I don't remember exactly, but I distinctly recall being told that if I didn't watch my back she was going to put a bullet in it."

"Wait. She was here?"

"Yes. In the lobby. In fact she was the one who was piloting the vehicle we arrived here in."

A worried expression crossed his face. "You be careful. Don't go anywhere alone, you hear? Make sure one of us always knows where you are."

She nodded. "Yes sir. I wouldn't dream of it."

"Good." He offered a half smile. "First day with the team and you're already getting death threats."

She giggled. The comm on Fox's wrist beeped.

"That's our cue. Come on." He opened the door for her and they walked out into the back alley. When they reached the street, Fox stood by the edge of the sidewalk on the lookout for a taxi.

"Look! It's Fox McCloud!" Someone cried.

"Run!" Fox reached over and grabbed Krystal's hand. Together they ran back down the alley and out the other end. He glanced over his shoulder to see a small group of about six people chasing them. One of them, a cheetah, had a camera and was trying to snap a clear photo of them.

He made a sharp right, pulling Krystal behind him. They ran down the sidewalk to the next cross street and made another right. He pulled her into a doorway and pushed through the door into a little shop. They ran to the counter and ducked behind it next to the startled young jaguar who worked there.

"Phew! That was close!" Fox said. They exchanged looks and then burst out laughing.

"Um, excuse me…" The jaguar said. "Customers aren't allowed behind the counter."

Fox looked up. "Oh don't worry. We're not customers. We're only stowaways." He grinned.

The boy stared at him for a few seconds.

"C'mon. Let's get a taxi." Fox said to Krystal. They stood up and he went to the window to check if the coast was clear. The group he had seen a moment ago chasing them was nowhere in sight. He stepped outside with Krystal behind him and waved at a passing taxi. It paid him no mind.

He sighed. "Taxis are so rude sometimes."

Krystal pointed to the yellow cab that was driving away. "That's a taxi?"

Fox hesitated for a moment, remembering that she had never been here before. "Yes."

"How do you make them stop?"

"You have to get their attention somehow, either by waving or whistling usually. I just wave. I…can't whistle very well." Fox explained, slightly embarrassed that he couldn't whistle loudly through his teeth like most people.

She looked out over the three lanes of the road that were heading in their direction next to the sidewalk. She spotted a yellow cab and waved. It showed no signs of slowing down. She lifted her fingers to her lips and whistled the loudest high pitched whistle Fox had ever heard.

The taxi slowed down and pulled to the side of the road for them.

"Whoa! Where'd you learn to whistle like that?" Fox asked.

She laughed. "Back home. My friend Connor taught me. He told me it could be more effective than screaming. He said if he ever heard me whistle he would know I was in trouble and come running."

Fox opened the door and they climbed into the taxi.

"Dang, was that you who whistled?" The black and white cat in the driver's seat asked.

"Yes." Krystal giggled.

"That was amazing. I've only ever heard one person whistle like that. Course it looked natural coming from him, he was kind of a big guy."

Krystal smiled. "Well, my friend once told me it was more effective than screaming."

"How so? And, where are you headed by the way?"

"Corneria Inn, the one above." Fox said.

"Alrighty. Corneria Inn it is. So how is whistling more effective than screaming?"

"Well, if you're in trouble, people expect you to scream. If you're being assaulted, whoever is assaulting you might be more thrown off guard if you whistle than if you scream. Either someone will come to help you, or you might even be able to escape." Krystal explained.

"That's brilliant. Say, I reckon you've got an accent. Not from here, huh?"

She shook her head. "Not at all. I'm from a far away planet. I've never been to Corneria before now."

The cat smiled. "Well, if no one's told you yet, welcome to Corneria!"

"Why thank you!" Krystal said.

The cat stared for a moment at Fox. "You look familiar… What's your name?"

Fox hesitated. "James."

Krystal stared at him for a moment, but her telepathy told her that he wasn't lying.

"Oh, sorry. I thought you were someone else. You…you look a lot like that mercenary, Fox McCloud."

Fox grinned. "Oh yeah, I get that a lot." He glanced at Krystal, who was still staring at him. It occurred to him that she didn't know that his real name was James. He bit his lip.

"Well I'm Tom. Nice to meet you James. And what's your name, lovely lady?"

"I'm Krystal." She replied.

"It's a pleasure to drive you two." Tom said. The car climbed up the freeway and through the tunnel to the surface of the planet. They reached the Corneria Inn without further incident.

Fox paid Tom the due credits and they exited the car at the hotel. The rest of the team was already waiting inside.

"What took you all so long?" Katt asked.

"We had to take a detour. The press caught sight of us." Fox replied. He walked over to the receptionist. "Hi, I called earlier about the six rooms."

"Yes, I remember. If we can just have you scan your palm prints here for room access." She pointed to the black pad on the counter. Fox placed his hand on it. A red line moved down and then up, scanning his handprint.

He turned to the rest of the team. "Guys!"

Katt walked up next, followed by Falco, Peppy, and Slippy. Krystal watched curiously.

"Just place your hand on the black pad and wait for the red light to turn off." Fox said. She followed his instructions and the receptionist gave them the room numbers.

Their handprints would work on any of the rooms, so they could choose whichever one they wanted. They stepped into the elevator.

Fox pressed the button for the top floor. The doors slid shut and the elevator shot upwards toward floor number seventy two. Krystal gasped and nearly fell. Fox caught her arm.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Why does it do that?" She asked.

"We're heading to the top floor. It's seventy two floors above ground, so the elevator must go fast to clear the space in a reasonable amount of time."

"Oh, I see." The rest of the details about the funny little boxes that went up and down in tall buildings were derived in her mind from that of the hare's.

They reached the top floor in about ten seconds, and the elevator stopped with a jolt. Krystal grabbed the bar with one hand and Fox's arm with the other.

They stepped out and looked around.

The hotel building itself got slimmer as it grew higher, with less and less rooms as it went upwards. The top three floors only had ten rooms, where the bottom three floors had thirty four rooms each.

There were black pads attached to the wall right outside each door, meant for scanning fingerprints in order to enter the room. Katt, Falco, and Slippy were the first to exit the elevator, each running for one room out of the specified numbers. Peppy stepped out and watched the trio scramble into the three rooms at the end. He looked over at Fox and winked, going toward the next room in the row.

That left two rooms, side by side for Fox and Krystal.

"Well, here we are…" Fox said. They stepped out of the elevator and the doors closed behind them.

"I've never been to a hotel before." Krystal said. Fox walked up to the door next to Peppy's.

"Here, you can have this room. It's all yours. Just press any of your fingers on this black pad."

She walked up and touched it with her index finger. The door clicked and opened a crack. "Whoa…" She smiled, turning to Fox. He shrugged and gestured to the doorway.

"We'll be staying here a couple of days while the Great Fox is repaired. I'll take you to the General's office tomorrow to see what we need to do about your licenses."

She nodded. "Alright. What about…food?"

Fox reached up to his vest and took a little silver rectangular device from his pocket, about the size of his index finger. He handed it to Krystal. "You can order room service if you would like, or if you want something else you can look at the phone book. It should be in one of the desk drawers. Call in a delivery, and give them this. It's got about a thousand credits on it, so don't worry about prices. And if you want to go out and buy something, feel free. Anything you need."

She stared in awe at the little silver stick. "How does it work?"

"It holds computerized credits. Whatever you buy, just hand it to the person you're buying it from and they'll do it for you. Nothing to it." He said.

"Wow… thank you."

"Of course. If you need anything, I'll be in the room next to you." He pointed to the last empty one. "Just knock."

"Yessir!" She smiled and mock saluted.

He chuckled and walked to the right. "See you in the morning."

Krystal pushed the door open and stepped onto the beige carpet. The walls of the room were white. The hallway opened diagonally to the right after three feet into a small kitchen, with a compact refrigerator, a sink, a microwave, and a stove. Farther forward in her line of sight was a large window overlooking the city.

At the end of the short hallway, about ten feet, there was an opening to the left into a spotless bedroom. The walls were slightly off-white, while the bed comforter was pure white. In the corner directly to the left was a door leading to a beautiful tile bathroom with a large Jacuzzi tub and a fancy shower.

She walked back into the main room. There was a couch not far from the large window with a giant paper-thin television screen. A glass coffee table rested in front of the couch.

It took her a moment to realize that the big window was actually a sliding door out onto a balcony. She touched the handle and the door slid open.

She walked out onto the balcony and looked down over the white railing. The street far below was not even visible through the wispy clouds that had rolled in like an ocean tide, but if it was she would not have been able to detect any details from this distance.

The sun was nearly set over the horizon, and the sky was a brilliant array of orange, purple, and pink. The clouds had melted together in rolls like ocean waves. The shadows played along to that effect, so that with only a bit of imagination Krystal pictured herself standing on the edge of the ocean back home.

"It's pretty, isn't it?"

Krystal turned to her right, where Fox was standing on the adjacent balcony looking over the sunset. She smiled a bit. "It's absolutely beautiful." She glanced at him and could not help thinking, _Yet still I would rather look upon your face…_ She blushed as if he could hear her thought.

He looked over at her. "It's not as beautiful as…" he paused, suddenly aware that he was speaking aloud. He swallowed, realizing he would have to finish the sentence or risk looking foolish. "…as you." He turned his face down and blushed fiercely.

Krystal smiled and her cheeks flushed red. "Thank you…"

Fox choked down his pride and fear. "Well, it's…it's true, ya know."

She could not suppress her childish grin. _He thinks I'm beautiful…_

It was silent for a moment.

"You're not so bad yourself, handsome." Krystal said.

Fox's pulse spiked and his face grew hot. "Oh…uhh…rea-…? Err…thanks…" He bit down on his lip until it hurt. The pain subsided after a few seconds, and then he realized he had cut off circulation to the part he had bitten. He released his now tender lip and licked it.

"I should…" Krystal began, gesturing toward the glass door.

"Wait." Fox said. A plan formed in his mind, but it made his heart pound uncontrollably. He walked over to the railing closest to her balcony. There was a foot of space between his rail and hers.

"Yeah?"

He looked around, like he was afraid that someone would be eavesdropping and gestured her towards him. He could already feel sweat gathering on his palms and under his arms. He casually wiped his hands on his pants as she walked to the edge with a questioning look. His resolve was already weakening, and he began to come up with a way to escape from his own plan. "I…want to tell you something." He said. "It's a secret."

A grin crossed her face. "Alright…" She said, leaning over the railing so that he could whisper in her ear.

He placed one hand on her side for balance and leaned toward her, mind racing for a good secret to completely clear him of the foolish plan he had started.

Her head turned suddenly and for a moment he thought he had done something wrong. His stomach exploded in butterflies and he realized she was kissing him. His eyes were open for a few seconds, still registering the fact that she was actually kissing him. She pulled back slightly and then tilted her head as she kissed him deep. His eyes fluttered closed and his heart melted into a puddle.

The warmth of her mouth sent electric tingles down to his fingers and toes.

She pulled back after only a few seconds. "What was it you wanted to tell me?" She asked.

He blinked several times, trying to reorganize his scattered brain cells. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. He blinked again. "I'd, uhh… was saying gonna…. Err…" His heart was racing still, and his face was hot with a deep blush. "I, the…"

She stared at him with a tender and slightly amused look.

"I…think…I…forgot…" He said slowly, struggling to form a coherent sentence for her. "It had something to tongue with-err, do! Something to _do _with…I…" He grimaced. "I'm…going to shut up…before I ki-make…make of an…I…can't…talk…"

She was smiling at him, although with the amused look in her eyes it was more of a smirk.

He turned around and paced a few steps away, running his hands through the fur on his head. "I'm sorry…"

"It's alright… you can tell me tomorrow." She said, backing up two steps.

He looked at her, feeling completely helpless. _I can't talk! I can't even make a sentence! I'm such an idiot! _He thought.

She turned and reached for the door. "Goodnight, Fox." She said, not looking at him.

Without thinking, he ran toward her and vaulted over the railing onto her balcony, using his arm as leverage. She turned around to face him, eyes wide.

"Flitherablingadilly!" He cried. He grabbed her shoulders, panting lightly. "I…I ca…" He let out an exasperated sigh and kissed her. "There!"

She blinked. "What…what was it you were going to tell me?"

"That was it." He said, shrugging. He hopped back over to his balcony. "Goodnight." He said as he walked back into his own room.

Krystal stood dazed for a moment, and then she walked back into her own room and closed the door. The sun had vanished, leaving a deep purple and dark blue haze over the sky. It was a wonderful end to a long day.

She went into the bedroom and collapsed onto the soft mattress, asleep in only a few moments.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **I really don't have anything to say here.

_Vivian:_ Pfft. Yeah flippin right. That's a first.

_Me: _Oh shut up. As I was saying, I've got the next one in progress. I figure I will just get up to about 20 and then finish up the last chapter... Just for you guys. :) My treat. T minus 12 chapters! Here we go!**  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Fox…"

_No…_

"Fox…"

_Oh, come on… I'm trying to sleep._

"Fox, you are sleeping."

_Oh…right…wait. If I'm sleeping why are we conversing?_

"Dreams are funny things, aren't they?" The man's voice said.

Fox slowly opened his eyes, staring up into white light.

"No, no. Close your eyes. Don't wake up yet."

He obeyed.

"I have something important to tell you, it's about Krystal."

_Krystal…_

"Yes. She will join your team. However, her destiny is predetermined. You cannot get in the way of that. Terrible things will happen if you do."

_Destiny…?_

"She is depending on you… for her life. And, well, not to mention the lives of those she cares about."

_Hey, wait. I've heard that before. Nice job ripping off the Krazoa…_

"Well, it was worth a shot. Anyway, what I said was true. When the time comes, you need to help her. Protect her with your life, Fox. She is far more important than you realize."

_I didn't even know that was possible…_

"Yes, you've grown quite fond of her, haven't you?"

_I'm not even sure fond is the right word…_

"Good. That will make it easier for you to protect her. Just know that if anything happens to her…I will kill you myself if it's the last thing I do. Well, it will be the last thing I do… It's… it's complicated."

_Sure…you're a figment of my imagination. So now my mind wants to kill me. What next, suicide?_

"Don't tempt me. I'm very powerful."

A girl's voice chimed in. "Oh, calm down. The point is to let him know about her mission, not to kill him or scare him."

_Why would I be scared of a dream?_

"You told him it was a dream?" The girl asked.

"Well what choice did I have? He can't see us. If he were entirely conscious he might even think he was going crazy."

"You're still connected."

…_this is a really weird dream._

"Yeah, sorry, I lied. This is all real. Just remember… protect her. It's all riding on her."

Fox grimaced and opened his eyes. The white was blinding… he covered his face with his arm and squinted to let his pupils adjust. He was inside his hotel room. The sun was pouring through the giant windows and reflecting off the white walls and light carpet, giving a bright glow to the room. The vulpine rolled over and groaned, burying his face into the pillow.

Then sat up with a start. The details of the conversation he'd just had in his dream slowly came back to him. He reached over to the nightstand beside the bed and snatched the remote off it. One click tinted the windows enough to see clearly without squinting or risking retina damage.

He had to wonder why they could not tint automatically.

He checked the clock. It was eight in the morning.

With a moan of irritation, he planted himself face first in the soft white pillow and fell back into sleep within seconds.

(**Meanwhile…**)

Krystal slept soundly in the white bed. She had fallen asleep in her clothes.

From the angle the man stood, she looked to be glowing. But then he had always found her beauty intoxicating. He walked to the side of her bed and picked up the small remote from atop the nightstand. The light would wake her… He tinted it down to four and set the remote back down.

The pain in his gut rose with the exertion of his power. With a slight bit of effort he set time flowing right. He was once again invisible to the world.

She could not see him, smell him, hear him, or feel him. Neither would he be able to touch any solid object or make himself known in any way. He had often thought of leaving her a note… but thoughts of what to say to explain everything that had happened had quickly choked out that idea.

Instead he would remain like this; her invisible guardian, watching over her to make sure nothing bad could happen. And yet he knew what was coming.

There was no way he could stop it. All he could do was ensure her safety until the last moment.

Being not quite dead, yet not quite alive, he was like a ghost. But as the dead have no tangible effect from time, he was able to control it enough to stop it altogether for a short time. This was the only way he could be as a living being and interact with objects. One person at a time, whomever he should choose, could share this short gift with him for as long as he could hold it.

Yet every opportunity he had to be with her had escaped him. He could not think of anything he could say in such a short time to make everything clear or explain it. It had taken him so long to find her, and now that he had he did not know what to do. He knew she would never love him again. She was falling in love with Fox. It hurt, but seeing her happy was enough to keep him going.

He sighed deeply and walked out of the room. The one advantage to his state was that he did not need to use doors. He simply went through them like they were air.

Krystal stirred from her sleep. She stretched out her limbs as far as she could reach them and took a deep breath before opening her eyes. The room seemed a little too dark for morning… but the clock said it was almost 8:30.

She rolled over and looked out the window. The entire wall was made of clear glass, allowing the maximum view of the city below. There was a remote on the little nightstand beside the bed. She picked it up.

There were two buttons: Up and Down. She pressed the one labeled up, and the room became brighter.

She pressed down, and it got darker.

The windows controlled the lighting, and the remote controlled the windows.

"That's brilliant…" She muttered to herself. _It must have some sort of automatic setting for the brightness of the mornings._

She was still in the clothes she had worn yesterday… Her stomach growled.

_First things first. I need to get dressed in something clean. And then I'm going to take Fox's advice and get myself something delicious for breakfast. I don't even think I ate dinner last night…_

She snatched the bag Katt had given her off the counter where she had left it, and picked out a pair of jean shorts and a white t-shirt. There was a black folder on the counter that she had not noticed before.

It was labeled in neat cursive Lylatian: _Room Service_.

(**A little while later, some distance from the hotel…**)

"I want her dead. I don't know why she's alive and I don't care. I want her dead. And I want you to kill her." The girl snapped. Her temper was short normally, but now she seemed to be in a permanently cross mood.

"Alright, sweetheart. I'll kill her." With a deep sigh the man raised his fingers to massage his right temple. The headaches that plagued him were slowly getting worse.

"She should have died on Cerinia. You said she was dead."

"I thought she was."

"Well you were wrong!"

"Obviously."

"What are you going to do? I want to know how you're going to do it."

"I'll think of something."

"Well hurry up."

"She knows me, darling. I can't just walk up and kill her. She'll spot me a mile away."

"Then…do it carefully. Maybe… reveal yourself first. Let her fall for you again, so she trusts you. Then murder her violently. I want her to suffer."

He sighed. "I'll do my best."

"That's not good enough."

"What do you want me to do, blow up the whole planet?"

"Of course not." She paused. "Actually… that's just the sort of thing that would lure her in. She didn't recognize you back on Cerinia. Use the same disguise. Threaten to blow up the power plants. A nuclear meltdown or some major disaster."

"They haven't used nuclear devices in ages, love. They were proven too unstable and deadly. Everyone uses warp energy now."

"Well trash it. Their little team will come running, first sign of trouble. Finish her then and it will look like an accident. Killed in action." She smiled at the thought of her nemesis lying dead and bleeding on the floor.

"Alright. It's a plan."

"Good…" She looked into his eyes. "This is one of the things I love about you. You're so determined and brilliant."

He offered a half grin. "Of course. It's not like you could love me for my money." He chuckled at the self pun. He was entirely broke of any credits whatsoever.

"No… but I do love your body." She said, climbing onto his lap in a seductive manner. She placed her arms around his neck and planted a rough kiss on his lips. "I love you."

"Prove it." He taunted, tugging at her shirt sleeve.

"Oh, I will…"

(**Meanwhile…**)

Krystal finished off the last of the incredibly delicious wonder that the Cornerians called cheese blintzes. It was a fluffy mixture of cream cheese filling rolled inside of a soft, sweet tortilla and lightly dusted in powdered sugar with syrup drizzled over the top. Never in her life had she tasted something so amazing.

The room service was definitely something she liked.

There was a knock at the door.

She looked up, startled, fork still hanging in her mouth. A simple trick of her telepathic senses told her it was Fox. He was ready to take her to the General's office for training. She hopped off the couch and ran lightly to the door to open it.

Fox blushed a little and smiled at the sight of her. "Hi."

She took the fork out of her mouth and smiled back. "Good morning. I was, er… just finishing breakfast."

"Oh, well… take your time."

"No, I'm… I'm almost ready." She stepped back and gestured inside. "I just need shoes. I'll only be a minute." She ran down the hall and turned left at the bedroom. She was back out in three seconds with flip flops and closed the door behind her.

"Alright. Let's go." Fox said.

She followed him into the elevator.

"Isn't there a way to make the elevator ride smoother? Some sort of stabilizer?" Krystal asked.

Fox hesitated, caught slightly off guard by her sudden knowledge of stabilizers and elevators. "Well… they ought to, but that would cost a lot of money. They put in this bar instead." He said, grabbing onto the metal rail with one hand. He pushed the button for the lobby with the other.

Krystal grabbed the bar with both hands and was ready for the elevator's lurch into high speed. A few seconds later it stopped just as suddenly, but she was ready this time.

They exited the elevator and crossed the lobby. Fox raised his arm to hail a taxi. One pulled to the curb. He opened the door for Krystal and climbed in behind her.

"Where to?" The driver asked.

"Downtown. The capital military building."

"Where?"

"I'm not sure of the address. There's a tall building, and a bunch of smaller warehouses. It's heavily guarded…?"

"Oh, that place. Sheesh." The feline looked in his rearview mirror. "Oh hey, it's you! Remember me? I'm Tom. I was your driver yesterday."

Fox looked up. "Oh, hi." He smiled.

"What're you guys going to the military headquarters for? Or…" He paused and looked from side to side, as if to check for eavesdroppers. "…is it top secret?"

Fox chuckled. "Something like that." He winked at Krystal.

"Ah, I get it. And you'll have to kill me if you tell me, right?" Tom laughed as he pulled into traffic.

Fox grinned. "Nah, it's nothing that serious. We're looking into a pilot's license, that's all. I'm friends with the military general, General Pepper. He's gonna set us up with something."

"Oh, wow! Exciting! Ever flown before?"

"Lots of times." Fox said. "Krystal's a new…err… well she's new to piloting, and you need a license and testing before it's legal to pilot any registered ship."

"I see, I see…" Tom hesitated, giving Fox a suspicious look. "You know, this whole thing is awful suspicious. You said your name was… James?"

"Yeah."

"That old hero was named James… He had a son that the world calls Fox McCloud. And, it just so happens that Fox McCloud is back in town with a new team member, a beautiful stranger with blue fur named Krystal." He looked through his mirror and straight into her eyes.

Fox laughed nervously. "Is that so?"

"Yeah. Not to mention they're mercenaries who _fly_ around in space ships." Tom grinned deviously. "I'm willing to bet my entire bank account that you two are Fox McCloud and Krystal of the Star Fox team."

Fox chuckled. "You got us."

"I knew it!"

"As long as you promise not to let anything get out about us. The whole famous thing is a little… tough to deal with. I only go by James when I need to lay low. You know, paparazzi and crazy fans and all."

Tom grinned. "Yeah, I can't say I know how it is, but I know what you mean. Don't worry, the secret's safe with me. I won't tell a soul."

Krystal giggled. "I don't think it's just souls that we're worried about."

Tom smiled. "I see what you did there. Alright, I won't tell a living creature anywhere in any dimension or universe. Happy?"

"Ecstatic!" She replied.

Tom laughed. "So now that we're clear, how about we work out a deal? I'll be your private chauffer."

Fox considered for a moment. "Hmm… well, I suppose we could trust you. We'll be out within a couple hours, but I don't want you to have to wait around. Do you have a pager or something?"

"I got hands free. Pagers and texts are illegal during work hours. They monitor everything." The feline replied as he turned off the highway and onto a narrow road.

"Do you have a card? I'll call if we need a ride." Fox said. He glanced out the window at the familiar sight of open blacktop that was spaced with metal walled warehouse buildings.

"Sure." The cat reached down to the console between him and the passenger seat and plucked up a white card with a phone number. He held it up through the little hole in the big glass protector that separated him from any potentially dangerous passengers and then turned left into the tall building's parking garage. The security guard inside the booth readied his weapon.

Fox took the card and programmed the number into his wrist communicator. It functioned as a cell phone as well as a device to reach the ship. "Alright. Thanks." He got out of the car and held the door open for Krystal. "Have a good day!" He said, handing Tom a twenty credit bill through the window. "Keep the change."

"Thanks! Have a nice day yourself." Tom replied.

Krystal waved as the taxi drove away.

The canine security guard exited the booth with his gun armed and ready. "Can I help you?"

Fox turned around. "Yes! I'm James McCloud Jr. and this is Krystal. We're here for an appointment with General Pepper."

"Do you have an I.D.?"

Fox took his wallet out of his pocket and showed the guard his piloting license.

"Alright. Let me just contact the General to be sure."

"No problem." Fox said.

The security guard stepped back into his booth and pressed a few buttons on the computer. "General?"

"What is it?"

"There's a James McCloud Jr. here to see you."

"Ah, yes. Fox! Send him up."

"Yes, sir." He waved to Fox and deactivated the pedestrian gate lock. The metal door opened and Fox led Krystal through it. The elevator was to the right. They stepped in.

"Another one?" Krystal asked.

"They're all over the place. No one likes to walk up twenty or more flights of stairs." Fox said. They rode the elevator to the tenth floor and stepped off. He led her down the hall and to the General's office.

The door was open.

"General, what have I told you about leaving your door open like that? You know anyone could come in here." Fox said.

The old dog turned around and smiled. "Well, hello to you too, Fox. And this must be Krystal!" He held out his hand.

She hesitated for a moment, not sure what he wanted. An image of two people shaking hands entered her mind from his. She stepped forward and took his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Mutual, I'm sure. So, you're here for a mercenary license and a pilot's license, right?"

"Yes." Fox replied.

"Well then, let's get started. Once you fill out this paperwork, we'll take you on down to the training grounds to test your abilities. Your stats will be printed on your mercenary license for customer benefit." He handed her a clipboard shaped device with a screen and an electronic pen. The screen on the device was lit up and had several lines to fill out. She stared blankly at the symbols on the paper.

Despite her knowledge of the spoken language of Lylatian, she had never been taught to read. _It can't be that hard..._ She thought. She pushed the image of the screen into the General's mind and listened for his thoughts. _Name..._

Her pen hovered over the space.

"You can sit down to fill it out, sweetheart." The general said.

"Oh, thanks." There were two chairs against the wall. She sat in one and Fox took the other. She looked at him. _I'm sorry... I have to do this._ Her thoughts projected into his mind.

His eyes widened with the strange sensation. _I'm afraid I've never actually learned to read. But I don't want to tell him that. _He stared at her for a moment, mouth agape. "Uhh..."

_Hush, don't let him know. I know this says "Name." I know how to spell but I don't know any of the Lylatian symbols to write. Picture them in your mind and I will write them._ She instructed.

He stared at the screen and tried to picture her name written on the blank. She slowly and neatly wrote the letters out one by one. With his help, Krystal was able to fill out the entire form without the general catching on. She was wary of spending so much time connected to Fox's mind. An extended exposure to someone's mind often led to a strong emotional bond between the two.

She had picked up a few stray thoughts from him on accident. All were about her. She hoped that he had not noticed her blushing while she was writing.

The form was completed, and she handed the device back to the general. He looked it over. "You have very neat handwriting." He said.

She blushed a bit. "Thank you."

"Alright, the information is in the main computer. I'll escort you down to the training grounds for a series of ability tests. Once you're done there, you will be a licensed mercenary and pilot." He smiled and walked out of the room with both foxes following him.

They went into an elevator and went down to the basement. The tunnels before them would lead to the training grounds. The general and Fox exited the elevator. Krystal mustered up a deep breath for confidence, and stepped forward.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** The next chapter (un-fixed version) does not line up with this one. I'm working on it. It will be done soon, so just hang in there.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The General led the two foxes down through the buildings and across a concrete parking lot. Most modern vehicles only used hover technology, but military equipment still sported tires in case of emergency or hover radio shutdown. The building in which the training grounds resided was only one story above Corneria's surface, but it tunneled deep into the core. There were thirty floors below the surface.

Pepper, Fox, and Krystal entered the building through a side door made of sheet metal that looked like it was about to fall down. Krystal more than half expected the "training grounds" to be nothing but the small interior of the old warehouse; deserted, dusty, and with sunlight poking through the ceiling. She was not disappointed by the shabby appearance.

The General walked to an old crate and sat down. Fox and Krystal stood facing him. "Now." He said in a serious tone. "I need your solemn oath that no matter what occurs in this building, you will not tell a single being in the universe of what you have seen, and will see. Not one word will slip to anyone, dead or alive, whether it be me, or Fox, or anyone else you know, have known, or will know someday."

Krystal sensed that this room was filled with many secrets. Curiosity rose. "I swear. On my life, my planet, and my staff. I will not speak a word of it." She said, holding her right hand up. She sensed that Fox had made this oath several times without the slightest intention of keeping it. The way of the liars was to cross ones fingers behind their back, somehow relieving them of the lie. It was a silly tradition, but it could not do any harm.

"Now Fox, I trust you will stand witness to her statement." said the old dog.

Fox glanced at Krystal. He grinned, noticing her left hand behind her back with crossed fingers. "I shall."

"Very good. Now..." Pepper stood and stepped forward. He reached up his left hand and pressed a button on his watch. A hologram emitted from the watch and scanned his eye. He then pressed his left thumb over the surface. "This is Pepper, boys. I have two guests, non hostile for the training room."

"You sure about that, Pepper?"

"Sure as sunshine."

"Alright. We're bringing you down now."

Krystal gasped as the floor beneath her feet shifted and began to move downwards. She reached out and grabbed Fox's hand. He blushed and looked at her, gently closing his fingers around hers. A mechanical device that Krystal could never dream of explaining formed walls around their platform and locked into place. The ground they had been standing on was now an elevator, fully lit with blue liquid crystal lights. The walls were a strong metal alloy, strong enough to hold back any bombardment from the surface.

The elevator came to a stop and the trio stepped off. Pepper led them through a series of metal tunnels, moderately lit by blue light strips in the corners. He seemed to be muttering directions to himself as they went.

"Left...right...forward...forward...right...forward...left...forward...right...left..."

After several moments of navigating, they reached a dead end. Pepper walked up to the far wall and ran his palms down the center. A beep was heard, and a door opened into the wall. He led the couple inside.

The room was small and made of the same metal as the rest of the underground fortress.

"I will have to ask you to unarm yourselves here." Pepper said.

Fox hesitated a moment before dropping Krystal's hand. It was only then, with a deep blush, that the vixen realized she had never let go once off the elevator. Fox reached down to his boots and pulled out a large knife from each. He handed them to the General, and then took four guns from his vest, two from his belt, and one from under his shirt on his back. He checked the safety on each and handed them to Pepper.

The canine stared at him for a moment. "Is that it, Fox?"

"Yeah." He replied, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Oh...wait." He shoved his left hand into his pants and pulled another small gun off his thigh. "There ya go."

Krystal watched the entire procedure in shock. The other vulpine caught her stare and looked over.

He blushed and shrugged. "What? You gotta be prepared..."

Pepper sighed. "Is that _really_ it this time?"

"Yes, sir." Fox replied.

The General shook his head and turned to the wall. A drawer slid out and he placed the weapons inside.

"Um...General?" Krystal called politely.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I, uh..." Fox and the dog both turned to her as she reached down her shirt and plucked a small knife from her bra. She grinned sheepishly.

Fox had the sudden urge to kiss her. He bit his lip instead. The General stored the weapons in the hidden drawer and walked to the wall opposite the door they had come in.

Another door opened, this one with an arch that scanned for deadly weapons. Fox and Krystal walked through without incident.

The General stepped through with a loud alarm. He immediately retreated, and the alarm ceased. "I..." He checked his pockets and removed a small pistol. "Sorry." He blushed and stored it with the other weapons while Fox and Krystal exchanged glances.

The room they were in was three times the size of the small entry room they had just exited. The far wall was glass, but whatever lay beyond the glass was in complete darkness.

"I've got your suits here."

"Suits?" Fox asked.

"You and her will be competing in a series of short battles to ascertain her abilities." Pepper replied.

"But that's not..."

"Nonsense. Because your abilities are..." He paused there and decided to reword his sentence for personal safety. "...recorded...and with your previous training and field experience, we can measure her status up against yours for a more accurate record." He held up two auto-fitting suits, made with self-regulating unstable molecules. The suits were designed to automatically form to the shape of any body inside them. They were bulletproof, laser-proof, and had enormous fire and explosion tolerance. The same suit could form perfectly to fit a tiny newborn ferret, or the largest dinosaur in the galaxy. They reverted to average size when not in use. "If you could please leave your underwear _on..._" The dog said, handing the suits to the foxes.

"Uh, General...where do we...?" Fox began.

"Oh, no one's looking. I'll be setting up the computer for your battleground." He interrupted, waving off the question with his hand and walking over to the computer.

Fox's face turned a deep shade of red.

Krystal was already out of her shirt and undoing her pants. He glanced at her and then quickly turned away, covering the right side of his face with his hand. She giggled. "Oh, calm down. It's nothing you haven't seen before." She teased, referring to the clothes she had worn when they first met.

His jaw dropped and his face reddened further at the sideways glance he received from the General.

The vixen slipped her legs into the suit and pulled it up to her hips. "How interesting. It's almost, sort of...slimy." She commented as she pulled the sleeves onto her arms. There was still a gaping hole in the back that required zipping up. "Fox, do you think you could...?" She began, turning her back toward him and lifting her short hair off her neck.

"Uh...yeah." He said, turning around. The top half of his suit hung lazily from his waist, leaving his muscular chest exposed. He reached over and gently trailed his finger upwards along her spine, starting from the open spot in the suit. A light on the material followed his hands to the top, sealing the suit in the back. It tucked and smoothed itself to fit as a second skin on Krystal's body, leaving a small space for her tail, neck, and hands. An invisible shield would emanate from each of these vulnerable spots to protect her once plugged into the navigational bracelet.

"Thank you..." She turned around and caught her breath at the sight of his bare, well shaped muscles. She managed to play it off with a shy smile and turned around quickly. Her pulse had spiked in that moment. She took a slow breath to calm her heart, but could not resist another peek.

Fox reached behind him toward the electronic zipper and managed to get it almost halfway up his back. He grimaced in effort, trying to make his arms stretch just a little bit farther. A soft hand touched his shoulder.

"Here... let me." She said quietly.

"Oh... thanks..."

"Just returning the favor." Krystal replied, leading the zipper to the nape of his neck. Her finger lightly brushed his skin. The physical contact was unexpected, and the strong emotions from Fox touched her mind like lightning. Her telepathy occasionally could transfer strong emotions with a touch, but she was more than unprepared for the tender adoration that poured from Fox's heart.

He seemed to feel it too, for at that moment he turned to look at her over his shoulder.

She bit her lip and stared into his eyes. _Look at you...fearless leader. I could fall for you in a heartbeat._

Fox blinked. Her lips had not moved, yet he could swear he had heard her voice.

"The room is loading up as we speak. I decided to start you off on the Zoness base."

Fox snapped to attention, suddenly remembering the General's existence. "Zoness? Isn't that a little..."

"Nonsense. I'm sure you two can handle it. The suits are designed to protect you." He walked toward them with electronic wristbands. "Put these on your left arm. If you are shot in a critical area on the suit, or fall in the water, these will teleport you to a checkpoint. They also function as a radar device to determine where your opponent is on the battlefield." He pressed a button and two small backpacks slid out from another hidden chamber in the wall. "These are your weapons carriers. The explosions from mines and rockets are all real, but they are toned down to a minimum on harmful effects and these suits are designed to protect you. The lasers from blasters and other guns are all stun blasts and perfectly harmless while wearing the suits. You each have three lives. If you are shot in a critical area such as face, or heart, you will lose a life. If you fall into the water, you will lose a life."

As he spoke, the room beyond the glass slowly lit up. It was an enormous room; over a square mile of ground, and several stories of height. The ground dropped down a good distance, and filled itself with over ten feet of water. A metal base rose out of the water, with rooms and paths and elevators. The ceiling formed heavy rain clouds that began to pour. Lights flickered on around the base.

All of this went on directly behind Krystal's back, as she and Fox were facing the General away from the room.

"There will be no hand to hand combat this round. We'll save that for next round, or possibly the one after."

"Yeah, yeah. We know the rules, General. Can we just get on with it?" Fox said.

Pepper nodded. "As you wish. I'm setting your separate coordinates now."

Fox looked at Krystal. He winked. "Good luck."

She grinned mischievously, readying her blaster. "Good luck yourself, Captain." The room disappeared, and she found herself standing in a small space with blue-lit walls. Rain poured outside the shelter she was under.

"Battle begins...Now." The General's voice rang out through speakers hidden somewhere in the massive base.

Krystal checked her blaster and charged a shot. She closed her eyes to sense for Fox's whereabouts. No way was she going to let him win.

She walked outside onto a wet metal path and into the next building. There was an elevator that led to the very top. She smiled. Fox was at the top.

Wind blew some rain down into the elevator. Krystal caught sight of a weapon, floating inside a light. It seemed to be waiting for someone to grab it. As the elevator rose to the appropriate space, Krystal reached out and snatched it. The light disappeared. The weapon was a canister. Krystal set it on the floor, and it locked onto the ground. A beep told her that it would go off any second.

She leaped off the elevator and ran out into the rain as the canister shot several exploding mines into the air.

A bullet hit the ground a few feet from her.

"Damn it. I hate sniper rifles..." Fox muttered, trying to adjust his sights from the moving platform he had caught on the edge. His target got to her feet and took cover behind a wall. He sighed and took a grenade out of his backpack. He pressed the charge button and chucked it as far into the air as he could, being now several yards away from her.

The grenade bounced off the wall and exploded in midair.

Krystal crawled along the wall and made a break for the elevator. Her suit beeped twice; she ignored it for the time being and dove into the shaft. The platform was several feet beyond her original estimation. She hit the ground hard and rolled, bruising her shoulder and possibly injuring her left wrist.

Fox had already jumped off the moving platform and was moving up from below. He had put away the homing rocket launcher and was charging a shot from his blaster.

Krystal sensed him coming and waited on the elevator, charging her own shot. As he rounded the corner, she aimed for his heart and fired. Fox swore as the suit teleported him to a checkpoint and took one life from his score.

Krystal grinned, riding the elevator back to the top. She snatched a pack of five mines on the way up, and set three of them on the elevator. Then she sat herself down comfortably under the shelter and waited.

Presently she heard an explosion, followed by a yell and several distant curses. She giggled and waited for Fox's presence to appear elsewhere.

The irritated vulpine had quite nearly lost his temper to his bruised ego. He had not in any way expected Krystal to start winning right off. He was even going easy on her towards the beginning. But now he only had one life left, and she had got the better of him twice. He snuck around the lower part of the base, picking up boosts and as many weapons as he could find. He had even been started off with the Demon Launcher, a cheat gun he had sworn never to even get, let alone use. But now that he had it, he was going to use it.

There was no way she was going to beat him the first time. No. Way.

He checked the radar on his wrist bracelet and frowned. Her blue arrow did not show up. He looked around to ensure the coast was clear, and readied his newly acquired Gatling gun. He preferred it to the machine gun for its brute force and powerful shots, as opposed to the higher ammo content of the machine gun.

With his gun ready and three immunity boosts on hand, Fox stepped onto the elevator and cautiously rode up. He decided to jump out with his guns blazing rather than to stand there like an idiot while he got himself beaten horribly. He balanced the heavy Gatling gun on his hip and grabbed a machine gun for his other hand. The minute his face broke the surface of the top level, he pulled the triggers on both guns and spun around once to take in the situation.

Krystal had been crouched in wait with her blaster, but the shock of two machine guns firing stun rounds into every direction sent her scrambling backwards toward the edge of the roof. The heel of the suit's boot caught on the corner and she reeled backwards with a shriek.

"Ha!" Fox cried in triumph. To his shock, Krystal promptly fell backwards off the roof.

The startled vixen barely had the chance to scream before her body came forcefully into contact with the metal pathway on the bottom level. The side of her skull smacked into the ground with enough force to make her see stars. She slowly got to her hands and knees, brain throbbing. "Ow..." She muttered, grabbing her head with one hand.

Her fingers came away bloody. "Why, that little..." She winced and quickly stood up, immediately regretting the decision as the base rocked back and forth before her eyes. She stumbled forward and tripped as black encircled her vision. The last thing she noticed before losing consciousness was the dead, cracked wristband on her arm, floating above her in the cold water.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **So...disregard the notes on the previous chapter. They fit now. :P


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"You said you were going to kill her." The girl spat.

"I know, love. I will." He replied.

"You're reluctant. You're acting like you want her to live."

"Believe me, I want nothing of the sort. If she lives, she's going to kill me."

"Then finish her."

"How?"

"I don't know. Do something. Hire that Fire Wolf gang."

"_Star_ Wolf?"

"Yeah, them."

"Just where do you think I have all that money hidden?"

"Threaten them or something, I don't know." She sighed. "Maybe... if we set a trap. Something that Star Fox could never resist. Something that endangers the entire planet."

"Like?"

She sat down for a moment to think. "A bomb."

"Yes, because blowing up a few people could endanger the planet."

"No. Not a few people. A building."

He rolled his eyes. "Blow up a building and somehow the world is threatened enough to bypass police? I don't think so."

"Not if it's the right building. What about the power station?"

"That's heavily guarded."

"You worry about the bomb, I'll worry about the guards."

He shook his head. "This is ridiculous. Besides...I don't even know how to make a bomb."

"You don't have to. I'll get one. Just get me a layout of the power plant."

"Which one? There are like six."

"The one that will cause the most damage... let's do... The electric building. Make it big enough to damage the one next to it."

"Why not make it a missile? I can do missiles. We have three in storage this second. I can't do bombs."

"That's...wait, that's perfect. We'll advertise a bomb so everyone panics. We wait until they are all searching and then fire from above where they least expect it." She smiled. "This is why I love you."

He chuckled. _I'll bet it's for a different reason._ He thought darkly. "It's a plan. Let's get to work."

(**Meanwhile**)

Fox scrambled to the edge of the roof level and peered down. Krystal had landed on the metal pathway. He winced as she climbed slowly to her feet. To his horror, she stumbled sideways and fell right off the path, into the cold water. There was no flash to teleport her to a new starting point.

_Maybe they took that out and it doesn't flash..._ He thought.

He checked his radar. No Krystal.

He threw down his guns, ripped off his bracelet and dove off the roof. Even if she had teleported to safety, he felt the need to check the water. He swore as he realized he had not jumped far enough and jerked his body sideways. The whole idea of jumping seemed stupid now, as the water was not even deep enough for a dive from a two foot diving board.

The path came toward him fast, and he reached out with his right arm to latch on and break his fall into the water. As his shoulder gave a painful pop, he regretted that idea and slipped into the water. Moving his right arm at all was agony.

He opened his eyes under the water and was shocked to see Krystal floating unconscious just below the surface. He clenched his jaw against the pain in his shoulder and swam toward her, scooping her up in his left arm and kicking above the surface. The pathway was several feet away. He took a deep breath and balanced Krystal on top of his chest, trying to keep her nose above the water as he propelled himself toward the nearest supporting pole.

How to pull not only himself, but Krystal's unconscious body clear out of the water with one arm was now the fun he would get to figure out. Time was a key factor in this problem. If he waited too long, she could die. He swam up beside the path and attempted to reach it with his right arm. The pain was enough to deter him from that idea. Even if he could reach the edge, he would not be able to haul himself onto the path with his injured arm.

He gingerly wrapped his aching limb around Krystal's waist and leaned her head between his neck and shoulder for support. Then he reached up with his left arm and grabbed the ledge. He was not strong enough to haul both of them onto the path with one arm.

He took a deep breath and dropped into water, letting go of Krystal for a moment and dropping to the floor beneath the water. He then sprang up, kicking hard with his legs to gain what momentum he could. His left arm grabbed Krystal's suit by the back and he shoved upward, lifting her limp body out of the water enough to get her face and arms onto the ledge. With a muttered apology, he grabbed her thigh and balanced her leg on his shoulder for support in order to boost her body enough out of the water to stay put for a short time.

Once she was mostly on the path, he kicked himself up and pulled with his left arm until he was out of the water. He crawled over to her and checked her pulse. It was weak. She was wet, cold, unconscious, and not breathing. But she was still alive.

Fox got on his knees beside her and felt for the center of her ribcage. He used his good arm to perform chest compressions, pumping the heel of his hand into the center of her ribcage in attempt to keep her heart going and wake up her lungs. He lost count somewhere but stopped where he thought should be thirty. Then he scooted upwards and took her muzzle in his hands, holding her nose shut with his fingers as he placed his mouth over hers and forced a quick breath of air into her lungs.

Water trickled out of her mouth as he returned to chest compressions. "Come on... come _on._ Don't you _dare_ die on me!" He cried angrily, moving back to her head. He held her nose shut and again placed his mouth over hers.

The first three seconds of consciousness, Krystal noticed three things. The first was that she was cold, wet, and lying on a flat, hard surface. The second being that someone's mouth was pressed tenderly against hers.

The third was that she could not breathe.

Her eyes opened wide and she forced the air from her lungs, breaking contact with the person above her. She rolled over and wretched a lungful of water onto the floor. Her brain throbbed with each cough that brought oxygen to her lungs. In a few painful seconds, she was able to breathe without coughing. She was breathing heavily on her hands and knees, staring at the ground, when she remembered what had happened. She turned to Fox with a slight glare.

"You're alright..." He sighed softly, overcome with relief.

"You almost killed me." She snapped.

"I...I'm sorry." He crawled over to her and wrapped his good arm around her. "I'm so sorry..."

Her anger softened with the strong emotions that emanated from his close presence. She sighed softly and attempted to return his embrace. He grunted lightly in pain, and she pulled back. "Are you alright?"

"It's nothing. Just...shoulder...dislocated...I'm fine." He said quickly.

"Let me see it."

He winced as her dainty hands tenderly caressed his injured shoulder.

"This is gonna hurt." She said, gently moving his arm around and supporting it by his elbow. He nodded and looked away. Her hands took his dislocated arm and shoved it into the shoulder socket with a _pop_.

Fox grimaced and groaned in agony. Krystal's fingers reached up around his face and suddenly her lips met his in a tender kiss. He was suddenly reminded of her voice in his head. _I could fall for you in a heartbeat..._

"Feel better?" She asked.

He blinked. "Yeah...thanks."

She smiled. "And thank _you_... you saved my life."

He looked down. "I almost killed you..."

"But you didn't. And that's...that's what counts, you know?" She smiled again, looking him in the eye.

Fox stared at her for a few seconds, and then he leaned in and pushed his lips slowly to hers. She leaned back. _Oh no you don't. I'm gonna kiss you, damn it, and don't you dare stop me._ He thought, reaching around her neck and pulling her close.

"Fox! Both of your radar signals have disappeared! Are you alright?" The General's voice came through the intercom.

_Oh sure. Now he finds it. _Fox thought bitterly. He did not want to move and risk losing a rare opportunity for a kiss, but he also was reluctant to keep the General worrying. His wristband was still on the top level of the base. "I...I think I need to..." he began.

Krystal leaned in and gently squeezed his lower lip between her teeth. She released and stood up, leaving Fox shocked on the floor. He stared up at her. She grinned. "Well come on then."

He climbed to his feet and followed her to the elevator pad. They rode up in silence. Fox adjusted his bracelet and turned on the comm. "Pepper?"

"Is everything okay in there?"

"We're fine now. We had a bit of an...incident."

"Incident?"

"Krystal's wristband cracked and she fell into the water. She's fine now, but I think we had better head in for a replacement."

"I'm resetting the level. Wait for it to finish and then head for the door." The General replied.

Krystal reached out for Fox's hand as the ground below them shifted. The entire base seemed to melt, and it sank into the floor and became flat. The duo walked slowly toward the door. An idea came to Krystal's mind. She smiled. "Race you!" She cried, dropping Fox's hand and bolting toward the door.

"Wha-hey! Wait up!" He called, running after her. The door was a good quarter of a mile away. Ego and testosterone kicked in and he put on a burst of speed. Being bested at combat by a telepath was one thing. But being bested in a race by a girl was something entirely different.

Concentration was a key term in Krystal's method of beating guys at races. She focused her mind on the ending point and let her legs do the rest, hardly thinking about it. All she had to do was stare at the door and drown out distractions. Easier said than done... She could never drown out Fox's soothing presence. Her thoughts wandered slightly... she was brought back into the race a few seconds later by the sound of his footsteps catching up.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw him, focused and determined in his running. There was no way in good conscience she could beat him in this race, even if she could pass him again.

Of course, that did not in any way rule out a tie.

She pushed herself to match his speed clear to the door, where they burst through at the same time and tripped over each other's legs.

Krystal grabbed Fox for balance as her feet slid out from under her. He stumbled with a yelp and they tumbled to the floor. It took all of his concentration not to crush her under his weight, using his arms and knees as shock absorbers. The result was a sharp pain in his shoulder and a bruised feeling on both elbows. He grimaced.

The vixen opened her eyes and blushed at the closeness of Fox's face. His eyes were closed in an expression of slight pain. Completely unaware of his whereabouts, his head dropped down an inch. The vulpines' noses bumped and Fox's eyes snapped open.

"Sorry..." He hesitated a few seconds, staring at her lips.

"...you can't be serious." The General's voice drifted from the side. The foxes looked over. He was on the phone. "That's...that's not possible. Security is too tight. Are you...are you sure?"

Krystal closed her eyes and focused on the murmur from the device.

"I saw it with my own eyes, sir. They hacked into the main broadcasting service and posted the warning all over the city. The people are in panic. We need Star Fox. The police don't stand a chance."

"Well, I am with their leader now."

"Bring him to your office. I will send you the transmission to show him. This is serious, General."

"I understand. I will be there shortly." Pepper hung up the phone. He turned to the two foxes, who were still lying on the floor.

Fox leaped to his feet and brushed himself off, and then reached down to give Krystal a hand up. "What is it?" He asked.

Pepper blinked to shake off the shocking sight. "Uh...Yes, right. Sorry. I received a call from a trusted source saying that there was a citywide threat from some psycho who is planning to blow up the power plants."

Fox's eyes widened. "What?"

"I apologize; I know this is very sudden but it sounds like they need you. The people look up to you, Fox. We haven't got much time, by the sound of it."

"Say no more. We'll do it." Fox interrupted. "We'll get changed and meet you in your office." He reached behind him and tugged on the suit as the General left the room. The zipper automatically undid itself. Fox slid the suit onto the floor in a heap and grabbed his clothes.

Krystal was momentarily stunned by the sight of his body. She blushed hard and quickly undressed. Fox caught sight from the corner of his eye and bit his lip. He concentrated on looking straight ahead as he zipped his pants and put on his shirt. His vest was on next, and then he turned to the door.

"Ready?" He inquired, grabbing his weapons and quickly strapping them back on.

"Yes." She replied, walking up next to him. She stared at him for a moment with an amused look as he handed her the small knife.

"What?"

"Your shirt is backwards..."

"Huh?" He looked down.

"...and inside out."

"I, uh...I'll fix on the way. Let's go." He said, his face turning red. He had been so focused on trying not to stare at her that he had not paid any attention to his own clothes.

They walked quickly down the hallway while Fox struggled with his shirt. He pulled it over his head, grabbed Krystal's hand, and they ran toward the elevators. He knew the way back by heart after visiting nearly twenty times.

The elevator lifted toward the ground level and disassembled itself backwards to how it had assembled on the way down. The platform stopped and the two foxes ran out of the warehouse toward the tall office building.

The vision struck then, mid stride. Time slowed around the vixen, as if her life were a movie and someone had switched the playback settings. She pushed off the ground with one foot, propelling her body forward and reaching out with the opposite leg. The world vanished in a flash of white, and all she saw was darkness.

Darkness, and a pair of terrifying red eyes staring her flat in the face. There were little flecks of green and yellow, as if the red was not their natural color. The pupils were black as night and looked as if any moment they would enlarge and suck in the world.

Hot, foul breath hit her face as the owner of the eyes chuckled darkly. She cringed inwardly, trying not to vomit at the horrid smell. The owner smiled with sharp, yellow teeth. She could not make out the details of his face in the darkness. A hood covered his head.

"_I'm coming for you, love. No use trying to escape. Your destiny ends today. Better hurry... the bomb's ticking._" His voice was disguised and distorted by some means, but it was almost familiar.

The world reappeared and time resumed. She was still running with Fox, but the vision had shaken her badly. She tripped on the pavement and sprawled onto the ground, skinning the palm of her hand. Her other hand was still gripping Fox's.

He was jerked to a stop and nearly fell. "Are you alright?" He asked, still worried that she was injured from the training grounds.

"Yes!" She said quickly, using his arm as leverage to pull herself up. They continued to the building, but the horrid image of red eyes was still firmly imprinted in her mind. They reached the elevator and Fox pressed the floor for the General's office. Krystal stared at the floor as the elevator rose. A nauseous feeling came over her. She placed her hand on her stomach. The foul stench of the red eyed being's breath still lingered in her nostrils.

"You okay?" Fox asked, noticing the look on her face. She nodded.

"I'm fine...I just had a..." She hesitated, then shook her head. "It's nothing."

He knew just by looking at her that it was _not_ nothing, but he decided to keep quiet. The doors slid opened and they hurried into the General's office.

His face was white and his eyes wide, as if he had just seen a ghost. "How could they get past all of our security? It's not... possible..."

"They could be bluffing." Fox suggested.

"I can't afford to take that risk. If they aren't..."

"That's why I'm here."

"I'll get you a private escort to the site. The threat said we had an hour. We've got less than fifty minutes now."

"Then let's get mov-"

"Excuse me...?" Krystal asked. The two men looked over at her. She pointed to the solid empty silver wastebasket. "Is this for trash?"

"Yes, it is." The General replied.

"Thank you..." She doubled over the top and hurled.

Fox winced. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She stood up slowly and wiped her mouth. "I'll be fine. We haven't got a lot of time."

"_Time's wasting. Better hurry._" She involuntarily shuddered as the voice entered her head.

"Let's go." She said.

In a few minutes, the General had them at the power plants. Fox had paged Falco during the ride over and filled him in on the situation, requesting arwings and the missing team members.

Fox and Krystal ran out of the car and toward the industrial building that served as a radio tower to power hover cars. The General stepped onto the grass and stood by the car, shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand as he watched them.

"Something's here, I can feel it." Krystal said. "There's something... someone...I don't know. But there's...it's here."

"We'd better hurry. The bomb squad should be arriving soon. We'll make sure the area is secure before they go inside." Fox said.

"I could probably find it. The residual energy from a person's thought patterns is usually traceable in a place they were recently."

"Which means?"

"If someone was inside the building with bad intentions, I should be able to sense where they were in the building."

"That's genius." Fox said as they reached the door. It was closed and locked. He lifted his communicator. "General, this door's closed and locked. Are you sure it was this one?"

"Yes. The security protocols have all been disabled for you. Just blast the lock, we'll replace it later."

He turned to Krystal. "Sense anything?"

She shook her head. "It's just the same feeling, like something bad is here..or was...or is coming."

"_You're getting close, little one. So close...and yet so far._" She winced.

"I keep...I think it's him. The one who put the bomb here. I keep seeing him inside my head." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "He's so...so evil. So... horrid..."

Fox moved in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, it's alright. Did he say anything?"

"He said we're close. He said we should hurry."

"That settles it. Stand back." They moved about ten feet from the door and Fox took out his blaster. He blew the lock off and entered the building. "Hello?" He called.

"Be quiet. If anyone was still in here, alerting them would make them run and hide."

"Good. Being scared makes them careless. Maybe they'll leave the bomb somewhere obvious." He replied. "I'm armed and so help me if I see any trouble I'll shoot the first thing that moves!" He shouted. No reply.

They walked around the deserted room once, and then headed for the stairs.

"No one's in here but us..." Krystal said quietly. "The others are flying in by arwing as we speak."

"Alright. You look around, I'll be back with them in a moment. Holler if you run into trouble."

She grinned. "Yes, sir."

He walked outside and the door shut behind him. Krystal slowly climbed the stairs, senses on alert. She closed her eyes for a second to focus. The building was abandoned... Electronics ran the whole thing. The only living beings to enter in the last month had been repair men to fix a glitch in the technology.

Something was definitely wrong.

She started up the next staircase. There was always a chance that the energy was too faint for her to sense from afar...

(**Meanwhile...**)

"She's inside."

"Good. Blow it up."

"The whole building?"

"Yes."

"But, what about the planet? Our cars won't even work."

"That's someone else's problem. We have the warp gate technology now. We don't need cars."

He sighed. "Alright. I'm firing the missile now. Should I warn her, just to scare her?"

She grinned mischievously. "Make it...an elusive warning. Something she won't understand until it's too late."

(**Corneria Hover-Radio Power Building**)

"Get out! Please, hear me! Please! I...I can't...I can't let you know who I am. You have to hear me. You have to! Please!" He screamed desperately, standing only a few feet from the unaware vixen. He knew that she would not be able to see or hear him, but he was trying anyway.

She turned around the room, looking at the walls and computers.

"_Time's almost up. Say goodbye._" She gasped.

"Get out! Get out now!" The man screamed. Tears filled his eyes. "He'll kill you! Krystal, please! Please, leave!"

_Please...you have to leave!_ The voice was so quiet, but so filled with emotion. She turned around. Her telepathy was screaming at her, trying to warn her... She had to get out. The stairs were only a few feet away... Her legs could not move fast enough to get down them.

Her feet skipped one too many stairs and her heel caught the next one too far down for her to keep her balance. The vixen tumbled down six stairs and landed roughly on the next landing. She winced and tried to get up, but was met with a painful sting from her left ankle. "No..." Nearly hyperventilating in anxiety, she grabbed the railing and hauled herself to one foot.

One stair at a time and agonizingly slow, she hobbled downwards. "Fox!" She screamed. "Fox, we have to get out of here!"

The sound of a ship flying overhead reached her ears...only there were no people on the ship. Her eyes widened as she realized it was a missile. Without a second thought, she dove down the stairs and rolled to the bottom of one flight. Bruised arms and legs and maybe even a few broken bones were better than singed remains.

Outside, Fox had just caught sight of the missile. "What is-...That's...it's a missile! General, where's your team? Someone should have seen that!" He cried into the communicator.

"Everyone was distracted with the bomb... They should be on it any second."

"Any second it's gonna ram right down our throats! It's headed right for..." Suddenly he knew. "The bomb was a diversion. There was no bomb. It was only to draw our attention so..." He trailed off and ran toward the building. "Krystal! You have to get out, now!"

A huge crash hit the top of the building. She could hear the fire roaring towards her level and she screamed.

"_KRY-YSTAAL!_"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Fox ran desperately toward the building as the missile soared straight at it. "Krystal, you have to get out, now!" He cried at the top of his lungs. His legs did not seem to move fast enough. The missile was almost there.

And then it hit the roof with a huge crash. Fire shot outwards with an aftershock that sent Fox flying to the ground. The last thing he heard was her scream.

The whole building went up in flames before his eyes.

"_KRY-YSTAAL!"_ He yelled. Tears came to his eyes and a chill washed over him as he stared at the remains of the burning building. Sirens wailed in the distance. "Please...no...please..." He begged. Katt ran up beside him.

"Where is she?" She demanded.

He could not form words. He just stared in despair at the burning building. "I...should...have saved her..." He muttered.

Katt looked up at the flames in horror. "Krys...?"

(**Corneria; just before the building exploded**)

"No!" He cried, watching her fall down the stairs. _I have to do it. I can't let her die... I can't._ He closed his eyes and focused as the building shook violently. _The least I can do is disguise myself._ He opened his eyes. The surroundings had changed. He was in the same place where his brother had found a device to disguise his voice. One shelf away was a device to hide your physical presence to any telepath or technology. He snatched a black, hooded cloak off the corner of the shelf and threw it on. He had less than forty seconds now.

He stuck the voice distorter on his throat and spoke. He coughed. His voice was significantly different. Then he clipped the little chip to hide his presence on his shirt beneath the cloak.

He closed his eyes and focused on a temporal shift. He was back in the building with Krystal, one floor down. He rushed up the stairs. She was on the floor, staring at the fire that was caught in his time field. She turned to him and screamed.

"It's alright! I won't hurt you!" He said quickly.

"You...you did this!" She accused, pointing to the fire. "What...what did..."

"I can stop time. I didn't do this...My...my brother did. You need to trust me. I only have about twenty seconds. But you..." He knelt and attempted to scoop her into his arms. "Don't fight me or you'll die!" He snapped, picking her up and scurrying down the stairs. "I have limited time. I'll explain later when I've recovered. You need to get out of here before I run out. The second I do time will continue." He said in a rush.

She stared at him. His eyes were soft, and blue. His breath smelled nice, and his teeth were white. He was not the same one she had seen in the vision...

He slammed through the emergency exit in the back and quickly set her down as his energy drained. "Use your power. You can create a force-field to protect yourself and you need to do it _now_!" He doubled over. "Hurry!"

She stared at him. "What?"

"Just...concentrate..." He held out his hand from clutching his stomach. "Blood...that's new..." He focused with his palm outward and a dark blue wall of energy appeared in front of him. "You can do it...I can't hold on..."

Krystal stretched out her hands like he had.

The second the blue field appeared around them, he relaxed and time resumed. The explosion crashed against the protective energy and diverted around them safely.

Krystal sighed as the explosion quieted. There was only the fire in the building. "How did you-..." She trailed off. The man who had saved her life had just disappeared. She attempted to stand and remembered her hurt ankle. She stood cautiously, pushing down the pain and limping slowly around to the front of the building.

Fox knelt helplessly on the ground, watching the structure burn. There was no possible way she could have survived. A tear rolled off his cheek.

Katt sat next to him. "It's not your fault. You didn't know."

He said nothing, mulling over the details in his mind and trying to find a possibility for her survival... If only things had happened differently. _No... it can't end like this. It can't. She can't be dead..._

Katt stared at the corner of the building. "Is...is that...?" She began, pointing to the edge of the flames.

He looked up and forgot to breathe. A distant figure limped slowly around the side of the building. Fox stared intently, slowly getting to his feet. The bright flames made everything seem darker, and he could not quite make out details... Something inside him told him it was her.

Then he saw her tail.

Her soft, beautiful tail, with the two telltale silver rings matting down her fluffy blue fur.

He bolted. "Krystal!" He choked, tears of relief forming in his eyes. He blinked them away as he ran.

It was definitely her. He did not know how, and he did not care. She was alive.

He ran to her and scooped her into his arms, sweeping her off her feet. "Oh my god you're alive. You're...you're okay..." He said, holding her tight against him.

"Of course I'm okay." She said, smiling.

"I thought...I thought you..."

"Aside from a sprained ankle, I'm perfectly fine." She said. His emotions were so strong that she was nearly in tears herself just from exposure.

"You're okay..." He said again. He set her down and stared at her face. He looked down at her lips, longing to kiss them.

The sirens from behind them stopped, and several firemen scrambled off a truck with hoses. "Excuse me, folks! Please stand away from the fire. We'll handle everything." One of them shouted towards Fox and Krystal.

He took her hand and led her away from the fire. Several thoughts were flooding his mind at once, all about her. _This won't happen again. I can't put her in this kind of danger and risk losing her. If she was killed, I could never forgive myself...I would never be able to cope. I think...I think I'm in love with her. I really think I could spend the rest of my life by her side and be happy. No...I barely know her. She barely knows me. This is crazy! What am I thinking?_ He looked over at her as they walked. _I think she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life. I think she's brilliant, and talented, and funny... I think I want to marry her. She would think I'm insane... Maybe...maybe I'll just ask her on a date first._

Katt ran up and threw her arms around Krystal's neck. "Thank heaven you're alright!" She cried. "Fox said you were in the building. We thought...How did you make it out?"

Thoughts of the mysterious man who had saved her appeared in Krystal's mind. "I...I ran, and...there was...I heard the missile, and somehow I made it out just before the building exploded." She decided not to tell them yet about her rescuer.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Katt said.

"I am too." She replied with a giggle.

There was nothing else they could do about the disaster with the power plant. Professionals were already at the site trying to repair the damage, but the entire city was dead. Taxis, buses, cars...none of them worked, with the exception of a few ancient cars and military vehicles. The city was in panic. Police and soldiers were out on the streets trying to keep down the riots that were already starting.

The Star Fox team came with the General back to his office.

"Today was an incredible disappointment. And I know, that it was not your fault. But this has opened my eyes to the kind of threats that we have waiting for us every day. People like the one who has just driven the entire capital city into chaos. Sometimes there is nothing we can do. But from now on I want you on full alert. If any more of these threats show up, I want you in action sorting out the mess before the bad guys have a chance to spit. I have had a small compensation transferred to your account for today. This mess will be sorted as soon as possible, I hope." He looked directly at Fox. "If you can find suitable transportation, I want you and Krystal to come back tomorrow for more training and tests. I noticed her foot is injured, so we will be working only on her pilot's license, as that does not require using your feet."

"Yes, sir." Fox said.

"You are dismissed."

The team slowly exited the room, minus Krystal.

"If I may, sir..."

He looked up.

"I don't understand why you need to have only one device to control the cars in the city. Why not have several, or make the cars run independently?"

He nodded. "I see your point. We did have a similar system a long time ago... but too many people were importing stolen cars from other planets. This way, only cars manufactured on this planet or specially licensed to run can move. If a car is reported stolen, its signal is cut off immediately. It keeps crime rates lower. But I appreciate your concern. I will look into a backup system." He replied.

Krystal nodded. Unsure of what to say next, she followed the rest of the team out of the building.

(**Meanwhile**)

"What the hell happened? They said no casualties on the news." The girl snapped.

"I don't know. The scan said she was inside the building when the missile hit. She was outside by the time it exploded. There's no rational explanation."

"Well you better come up with something. That's twice we've failed."

He sighed. "Katt's friend is having a party in a week or so. I'm not sure of the date. If Katt goes, Krystal will most likely be there."

"Bomb the building the minute she's inside."

"Calm yourself. We don't want any unnecessary deaths. I'm going to show up as myself. When she sees me, she'll forget all about Fox. I can win over her trust and strike when she least expects it."

The girl sighed. "I want it done quickly. The longer she's alive the more she threatens everything I've worked for. Don't get careless."

"It's a foolproof plan. No one will suspect it. After I've killed her, I'll announce to the team that we're moving to our home planet to be married. If anyone suspects anything, I'll tell them she felt too guilty about leaving and didn't want to face anyone in person."

She sighed and rubbed her temples with her fingers. "Fine. But at the first sign of trouble you're bailing out. And by bailing, I mean hit and run."

"Don't worry...I'll get it done."

(**Corneria Docking Bay; 7:30pm**)

"Are you sure you don't want to see a doctor?" Fox asked.

"I'm fine. Trust me. If it was serious I wouldn't be able to walk on it." Krystal insisted. The idea of visiting a hospital made her nauseous. So many thoughts calling out in distress...Her ankle was not injured badly enough to require medical assistance.

Of course, while she was limping slowly up the ramp to the Great Fox without even using her left foot, her protests were not exactly considered viable.

"I can carry you." Fox offered for the fifth time.

"I'm fine." Krystal said, blushing at the thought of being held in his arms. Perhaps she was thinking too hard about it, because that was when her right foot slipped out from underneath her. She grabbed the railing for dear life and spun around on her heel, landing on her rear with a shriek.

Fox lunged for her but not fast enough. He winced. "Just let me carry you. It'll be a lot faster." He said.

She blushed again. "...Okay."

He stepped forward and knelt by her, supporting her back with one arm and the back of her knees with the other. He lifted her off the ground as if she weighed nothing and ventured up the ramp without missing a step.

The power to the entire main city had been shut down, with the exception of a few backup generators for certain buildings. Three riots had broken out already from people demanding that food stores be opened. Of course, without power, there was no way to work the credits machine. Without that, there was no way to pay for the food.

Instead, desperate individuals rallied up others and busted out the doors and windows of several grocery stores.

The hotel the Star Fox team had been staying at was shut down. The backup generator did not send power to the elevators, and no one wanted to take the stairs up seventy floors. Especially Krystal.

While the Great Fox was still under construction, the bedrooms were still operational. At the very least, it would be a place to sleep.

The General had predicted that the maintenance workers would have a new generator built in less than two days, but the people of Corneria were still in panic. Most stayed indoors with all entrances and exits blocked off; others protested in the streets, and many citizens went in after the looters to stock up on food and supplies. The police could not contain the panic without squad cars. They gave up after an hour and withdrew to protect their own houses and select stores.

Fox reached his room and opened the door. At least his ship still had power.

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind, the lights flickered and went out.

"Sorry!" Slippy's voice echoed down the hall.

Fox sighed and rolled his eyes.

Falco screamed some form of profanity out of his room before a random object was propelled into his face from Katt's doorway.

"Screaming is not going to make the power come back on, brainless." She snapped.

"I'll work on it!" Slippy shouted. "Power will be up by morning!"

Fox gingerly set Krystal down on his bed.

"Thank you..." She said.

"It was nothing." Fox replied. He stepped out in the hallway. "Slippy, do the airlocks still work? We'd better get the ship closed up for the night. With the power out, the climate control center won't be able to hold the temperatures up."

Slippy groaned. "The power's completely blown. I'll go do it manually..."

"I'll get the back door." Fox said. He turned to Krystal in the dimming room as the outside light began to fade. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. Go ahead." She replied.

He left.

Krystal laid back on the top blanket and closed her eyes in deep thought. She was utterly exhausted from the long day she had just endured... First combat training, then the missile. And then having to walk six blocks to the hotel to see if their generator worked on the elevators. A phone would have been nice, but the power in the communications center was shut down.

Then came the six blocks back, part of which was running from rioters and crazed fans. The adrenaline rush had swallowed the throbbing in her ankle, but as soon as they were safely in the arwings and heading toward the Great Fox, it returned with a vengeance.

Her pulse had spiked the moment Fox's arms lifted her off the floor. The only thing she could think of while he carried her was that any moment he was going to notice her sweating and ask if she needed a doctor again.

Fox...dear, sweet Fox. She could not begin to describe her feelings for him. She barely knew him, and yet she felt as if she knew everything about him. She had known him for, what, a week? Not even that. His presence was perhaps the most calming thing since...

She sighed as his face filtered through her mind. The face that had haunted her over the two years since her departure.

His face was the same as his brother's, yet slightly different. The difference was in their eyes, but only visible if one looked closely.

So many memories... So many mixed feelings... So many lies and betrayals.

Both of them were now dead. A small part of her heart still missed them... but the empty space they left was slowly being filled by Fox.

His soothing presence delved into her soul as the soft footsteps reached her ears from around the corner.

She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. A slight chill had begun to settle in with the dark.

"The temperature's gonna get low tonight. Corneria had a cold winter before the climate control center was built..." Fox said. A thick fuzzy blanket was smuggled under his arm. He unfolded it and laid it out on the couch. "Would you like a t-shirt to sleep in?" He asked.

"Yes, if it's not any trouble."

He smiled. "No trouble." He grabbed a black shirt out of his dresser and tossed it to Krystal.

She promptly stood up and took off her shirt.

Fox's jaw dropped. He snapped his head around to the wall.

Krystal laughed as she slid his t-shirt on over her bra. "Oh, calm down. It's nothing you haven't seen before." She teased, repeating the same line from that morning.

His face burned in embarrassment. "Well, I...just...didn't want to..."

"It's alright. I appreciate you not staring." She said, folding up her pants and setting them in a neat pile on the floor.

The men still on duty in the Docking Bay were closing the massive doors above them by rotating a large handle on either side of the hangar. Darkness flooded the area.

Even in the dim light, Fox could make out the shape of her bare legs poking out from the end of the t-shirt. She walked slowly around the end of the bed and crawled beneath the blankets, wincing at the pain in her ankle. The cold was only beginning to set in.

Outside, a long awaited blizzard raged through the streets of the powerless city. The homeless were driven to any shelter available, and people indoors without power huddled beneath blankets. The spoiled civilians of Corneria had never known a cold day without power, if there ever was a cold day. There was no need for a fireplace, except for show. The electronic fireplaces were no good without power, and nary a person thought to light a candle.

It was going to be a cold, miserable night for the pampered capitol planet of Corneria.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The vixen shivered severely beneath the blankets. Sleep was out of the question. If there had been light, she would have seen thick fog emanate from her nostrils with every breath. An involuntary whimper escaped her throat. She had every longing to break into tears, but she kept her eyes shut and held them back. If she cried now, her tears were liable to freeze on her fur.

Fox's thought patterns reached out to her from across the room. He was suffering just as much, if not _more_ than she was.

"F-Fox?" She whispered.

"You okay?" He asked.

She realized that her pitiful whisper had sounded more like her crying than anything. "I'm...s-so cold..." She said, struggling to keep her voice steady through the simple sentence.

"Me too..." Fox replied. She could hear the shiver in his voice.

"Come over here." She said. "Bring your blanket."

"What?"

"Don't question, or I might change my mind." She said sternly.

Fox summoned the strength to leave the little warmth he had generated against the couch and stood up, blanket around his shoulders. It was then he realized that he could not feel his fingers or toes. He limped to the bed and spread his blanket over the top of the comforter. Krystal sat up and lifted the blankets, and he gingerly crawled next to her. She pulled the blankets back over them both and snuggled into the warmth of Fox's chest.

"Hold me..." She said softly. He slowly wrapped his arms around her and held her close, relishing her body heat and warm breath against his neck.

Gradually the pair stopped shivering, and little by little, they drifted off to sleep.

(**Meanwhile...**)

"Damnit!" The woman screamed at the generator. She stood outside next to the old fashioned electricity generating engine that was now covered with frost and no longer generating heat or lights inside the building. She gave it a good hard kick before limping inside in agony, regretting her last decision. A foul stream of curses flowed from her lips.

"Sounds like it's not working." A male voice said from the chair across the room.

"It's frozen through. Heat generated? My ass." She spat.

He sighed. "Well... there's always the old fashioned way." He grinned.

She rolled her eyes and walked into the bedroom. "I'm not in the mood."

He followed her. They climbed under the blankets together. He closed his eyes and entered her mind, tweaking it ever so slightly, but just enough. "Let me know if you change your mind." He said.

She reached over and grabbed him by the shirt, dragging him on top of her and kissing him passionately.

_I'll take that as a yes..._ He thought wryly.

(**Corneria Docking Bay, 5:47am**)

_You can save them._

_But, they're gone..._

_It's alright. I know this is hard. But there is a way, I promise._

_What am I supposed to do?_

_Everything will change, soon..._

_Soon?_

_Soon you will know. Don't be afraid._

_Afraid? Why would I be?_

_The darkness is coming._

Krystal's eyes snapped open and she gasped. For a moment she forgot to breathe, and then she slowly exhaled into the dark.

_The darkness is coming._

She sat up, eyes wide, trying desperately to see anything. There was only dark.

_It's already here!_ She thought.

She leaped out of bed and into the cold, frantic. _Light... I need light!_ Her hands met with a cold steel wall. She turned and ran across the floor. Her shin met with something hard and she sprawled onto the ground with a grunt. Panic set in. She scrambled to her feet and ran into another wall. She felt along as fast as she could, searching for anything that could serve as an opening or source of light. Tears of desperation spilled down her cheeks. "Help!" She cried, but it sounded more like a choked out whimper.

"Shh... It's okay." She froze at the sound of the masculine voice.

Soft blue light lit the room. She turned around slowly, heart still racing.

"You're safe."

A sigh escaped her lips as she trembled against the wall. She was in Fox's room on the Great Fox. A hooded figure stood in the room. He was the one who had saved her before.

"It...it must've been a bad dream." She said.

"It wasn't a dream. It was real."

She stared at the darkness beneath his hood. "What?"

"You can still save Cerinia." He said.

Images of the day her world had gone to hell came back to her mind. She grimaced and tried to shake them away. "No!"

"It's alright...you can save them, Krystal. When you're ready, they'll be waiting."

The blue light faded and he disappeared. Krystal stood against the wall for a moment, and then she slid to the ground and cried.

Fox awoke to the sound of quiet sobs. He sat up slowly. Soft light poured in through the window. The sun was rising over Corneria and shedding light into the Docking Bay. He looked around the room and saw Krystal, sitting against the wall with her knees to her chest and her head in her arms.

He jumped up immediately and ran to her side. "Are you alright?" He asked.

She started and snapped her head up, staring at him with wide eyes that were red from crying. A blush came to her cheeks and she turned away from him. "I'm fine..."

"Hey, don't you use that line on me. You're _not_ fine. What happened?"

"Just...a bad dream..." She closed her eyes to keep from crying again.

Fox sat down quietly next to her and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry."

She had expected him to stand there and pester her about it like most people. Instead here he was, holding her in his arms to comfort her. Another tear trailed down her cheek. She sat there for a good five minutes while he held her and stroked her arm tenderly.

That was when the first signs of trouble broke through her mind. The crowd outside of the docking bay was fired up with a vengeance.

Someone pounded on the door.

Slippy.

His thoughts confirmed her fears. The mob outside was ready to murder someone.

"Fox! Fox!"

"Not now!" The vulpine snapped.

Krystal touched his arm. "It's urgent." She said quietly.

He stared at her for a moment, and then stood up reluctantly and went to the door. "Sorry." He said to his flustered green teammate. "What is it?"

"The...the people outside..."

Krystal jumped to her feet and ran to the door. "They've killed a policeman!" She cried.

Fox spun around. "_What_?"

"They're furious... they think this is the fault of the government. They need someone to explain what happened. They're panicking because the news is gone!"

Falco walked around the corner. He raised his eyebrow at the sight of Krystal, who was still only wearing Fox's t-shirt. She glanced down and then ran back into the room. The clothes she'd worn yesterday were on the floor. She picked them up and quickly changed behind the door while the men were talking about the problem.

"What can we do?" Fox asked.

"The guys in the Docking Bay said that we're a big influential figure on the public and we might be able to appease them." said Slippy.

Falco stared at him with a blank look.

"It means..." Katt said as she walked up behind him and poked his shoulder. "...that since we are famous, the angry mob might listen to us and calm the hell down."

Krystal pulled up her pants, zipped and buttoned the top, and ran out of the room and down the hall.

"H-hey..." Fox hesitated a moment and then ran after her. "Wait!"

"They're breaking the doors!" She cried over her shoulder. "We don't have time!"

She ran down the ramp as Fox opened it for her and jumped five feet before it hit the ground. She landed hard and winced as the pain in her ankle broke through her adrenaline rush. She swallowed it and ran for the staircase that led to the roof level of the Docking Bay. She burst through the door and only stopped short at the safety rail just before the edge.

"Stop!" She cried desperately. "You all need to stop this, right now!"

The raging crowd silenced and looked up at her, more from the surprise of her appearance than obedience. The security guard that the ones in the front had been pummeling slumped to the ground.

"You're killing people! Real, living beings with souls and thoughts and a life! You're better than that. All of you. There is no reason for murder."

By this time the rest of the team had caught up with her stood behind her a few feet, peering at the sight cautiously.

"We want our heat back!" Screamed a civilian. The rest began yelling their agreements.

"Will killing people get you your heat? Will it? They were no warmer than you are. This is a problem in the whole city. If you start fighting among yourselves, how is anything going to get done? You should be _helping_ each other, not _killing_ each other!"

Silence fell over the crowd.

"You should be_ ashamed_. How can you justify taking the life of another living being? They had _lives._ They had _families._ And you took them away for no good reason!" The hushed crowd was eerily silent for a few minutes. Not a murmur, not a peep. Krystal stood staring at them with raging fury in her eyes.

Not even the wind dared to make a move. Everyone was as still as a statue. Anyone walking in on the scene might have thought they were modern art.

The quiet was shattered by the single sob of a woman.

"We need to stick together." Krystal said. "Fighting isn't going to solve anything right now. There's a time to fight, and there's a time to be patient. For now, there's nothing we can do but wait. We're not abandoned. Help is here, and they're doing all they can to help you. But killing each other is only going to slow them down."

"What should we do?" A man near the front spoke up.

"Go help people. You're stronger together than standing alone. If you have food, share it. If you have blankets or other sources of heat, use them to help someone. We should be saving lives, not destroying them."

The crowd agreed, and one by one, they began to disperse.

Krystal clutched the rail, head throbbing. Her influence was a gift of telepathy, but it was exhausting to use on a mass of people.

"Krystal? That was amazing." Fox said, walking up behind her.

"Thanks..." She whispered, smiling weakly. She turned toward him to walk away, but her knees gave way and she fell backwards.

"Kry-!" Fox lurched forward with a grunt and grabbed her outstretched hand, pulling her toward him as she fell. He dropped to one knee and caught her against his chest. She glanced up at him as her vision blurred, and then fell limp into his arms. "Katt!" He screamed.

The feline walked over. "She'll be okay in a little while, calm down. Let's get her to the ship."

"But she just-!"

"It's the telepathy. How else do you think she got the whole crowd to listen to her?" Katt asked.

The realization of what she'd done sank in. "She used her powers to calm them down?"

"She's done this before, on Cerinia. It took a lot out of her, though. She just needs rest. Come on."

Fox carefully shifted her weight and lifted her into his arms. He carried her back to the ship, following Katt. "Are you sure she's okay?" He asked. "Maybe we should do a scan, just in case-"

Katt rolled her eyes. "She's only done this a thousand times. Why don't _you_ try influencing a whole crowd with your mind? It's not as easy as she makes it look."

Fox sighed. He carried Krystal to his room and laid her on top of the neatly made bed. He stood over her for a few moments, and then he realized that it might scare her to wake up and see him staring at her. He scratched the base of his neck and walked out of the room, feeling awkward and out of place. He wandered toward the bridge, hearing voices.

Falco and Slippy were talking about how Krystal had changed the whole crowd.

Suddenly he didn't want anything to do with them. He wanted to run back to his room and hold her in his arms until she woke. He dismissed the urge, thinking it too forward, and walked back down the hall alone instead.

Chills went down his spine with the feeling that someone was watching him.

He turned around and nearly jumped out of his skin at the sight of the hooded man. "Wha-... How'd you get in here!" He demanded.

The blue eyes rolled in exasperation. "Through the door, like a normal being." He said.

Fox narrowed his eyes.

"Alright, I teleported here. But that doesn't matter. What does is the girl who's sleeping on your bed right now."

Fox's face turned five different shades of pale white and bright red in the span of five seconds.

"Calm down, lover boy. I'm not talking about your love life. I know you're falling for her." He shrugged. "It's not hard to do... But what matters is that you keep her safe. It may not seem like it, but the entire world is relying on her. She's the only one who can save it. Life as you know it will end if she doesn't survive."

"What are you-"

"I'm not finished. Her life is at stake right now. Everything points to her. Right now, she's the most important person in existence. And my brother is trying to kill her. All these accidents happening around you? They're not accidents. Everything is related to her and him." He closed his eyes and took a strained breath. "You have to keep her safe. Don't..." He grimaced, reaching out to the wall for balance. "Don't let... anything bad happen to her."

"I'm not planning on it." Fox said, crossing his arms and studying the strange man before him. "Why are you hiding your identity?"

"If she... knew who I was..." He shook his head. "She can't know."

"But what about her attacker? Don't I have a right to know who I'm protecting her from?"

"No. You protect her from _everything_. Everything, and everyone. Don't put her in a dangerous situation, no matter how safe you think it is. Your career isn't as..." He grunted in pain. "...important... as her life."

"Are you okay?"

"No... I'm dead."

Fox blinked.

The man was gone.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** A shout out to "The Human," who inspired me to finish this chapter in one night. And yes, I _most certainly do_ read all of my reviews! :)

_Katt:_ Pfft. Read? You practically obsess over them.

_Me:_ ...Did I ASK you to breathe?

_Katt:_ Yes. You wrote me to life, idiot.

_Me:_ ...And now I will write you to DEATH.

_Katt:_ ...I'll just...go...over here...and...shut up now...


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

The girl awoke with aching muscles. She inhaled slowly, wincing in pain. Her back, arms, and legs felt like rubber, and her temples throbbed like the old village warning bell. She rolled onto her side, tears spilling down her cheeks. It had happened again, and once again she had been powerless to stop him.

Gingerly she climbed out of bed, limping across the cold floor. She'd been unconscious for nearly three days. The generator had come back on at some point during her sleep, and the lights were working. That meant there was hot water again. She turned the knob and reached out her delicate fingers to touch the warm stream of liquid as it fell toward the shower floor. Trembling lightly, she clutched the knob for support and stepped into the comforting steam.

She tenderly washed the caked blood and other fluids from her dirty white fur, clenching her jaw against the pain. It seemed the only time she could think clearly was when she was alone. Once her fur was clean, she pulled the lever for the drain plug and sank to the floor as the tub began to fill. Her eyes closed as the water covered her body. She turned off the flow with her feet and sank into the clear liquid, letting the exhaustion pull her from consciousness.

(**Meanwhile**)

_It all comes down to you, Krystal. You're the only one who can save them. Use this._

She winced, her head throbbing. "Wh...what?"

_Don't lose it. I went through a lot to get it to you._

"Who...who are you?"

_Take care of it, you hear?_

She opened her eyes, but no one was there. The room was dark and empty. "Hello?" No response. She sat up on the bed, trying to remember what had happened. She was in Fox's room.

A shiny object caught her attention from the corner of her eye. A small blue stone, glowing with ethereal light, sat to her right on top of the blankets. She reached over and picked it up, cradling it in her palm.

Energy filled her veins. She giggled as it surged through her soul, refreshing her being like cold water on a hot day. She inhaled deeply, clutching the stone to her chest. A dim memory rose from the depths of her mind.

She stared at the rock.

_It can't be the same one... can it? That's impossible. Why would it just turn up here?_

She examined the rock closely. The cyan hue flickered and moved, as if the light inside the rock was alive. She gazed at it for another few minutes before she tucked it away in her pocket and left the room.

The memories she had left behind long ago began to rise, plaguing her mind. She closed her eyes and tried to think of something else, but the images were becoming more clear every minute.

_The sunset._

_The ocean._

_The rock._

_The kiss._

She gritted her teeth and walked faster down the hall. In a matter of minutes she was at the far back, in the engine room. Tears filled her eyes as she tried unsuccessfully to rebury the surfacing memories. She took the blue stone from her pocket, staring at it through the blurred tears.

"Still remember?"

She dropped the rock and snapped her head up with a gasp, eyes wide. "Who's there?"

No reply.

She scanned the room with her eyes and with her mind. Nothing. _I know that voice..._ She thought. She stooped to pick up the rock, gazing at its beauty once more. "For the record... I remember everything." She said softly. She turned around to leave and tripped. Still clutching the rock in one hand, she reached out with her free hand and clutched a random part of the engine for balance.

Pain struck her body hard. The last thing she saw was a blinding light, and then she lost consciousness.

(**Meanwhile**)

"Fox, we've got a hit on Katina." Falco said.

"What's happening?" Fox inquired.

"Something about a hostage situation. Someone's got a bunch of the work crew locked inside the base, and they're not letting anyone near."

"Sounds like trouble. Where are the police?"

"Otherwise occupied on Corneria, trying to keep the mobs down. Katina hasn't had a local police force in years. They haven't needed one. Between security and the soldiers posted, they've always had things under control. They've usually got at least one squadron at every outpost, but apparently this is one of the smaller outposts. Most of the local soldiers are on Corneria right now, trying to help out the cops."

"Let's check it out. Contact Pepper and let him know we're going in. I don't want to lose a potential payday." Fox said.

"Right-o, boss." Falco cringed. "Wow, I'm never saying that again."

Katt snickered. "Good, because that was awful. Hey, Fox. Where's Krystal? Is she still out?"

"I, uh...I'll check on her." He walked down the hall. Krystal had been out cold for three days following her collapse at the Docking Bay. In those three days, they had finished repairs on the Great Fox and taken to orbit again. One of the damaged generators on Corneria had been repaired, sending limited power to the most desperate areas. The remaining damage was nearly completely repaired, thanks to the combined effort of city workers and ordinary citizens. Krystal's speech had not only calmed the mob, but inspired them to be of service and actually help the situation.

Fox opened the door to his bedroom and stepped in, letting his eyes adjust.

Krystal was gone.

He frowned. "Krystal?" No response. He closed the door and walked toward the back of the ship, slightly worried.

The lights surged suddenly, flickering on and off and buzzing loudly. Fox froze in a defensive stance, staring at the ceiling with concern. He ducked as one of the bulbs blew out, spewing sparks across the floor. The surge ended, and the lights in the hall went out. Fox darted back to the bridge. "What happened?" He demanded.

"It seems there was a power surge. I'm trying to locate the source and see what caused it." Peppy said.

"It looks like it came from the engine room in the back." Slippy said.

"I'll check it out." Fox jogged down the hallway again toward the back of the ship. The emergency lights had activated, setting an eerie red glow along the walls. He stopped short as the hooded man appeared suddenly before him.

"Hurry." He said, and then vanished into thin air.

Fox hesitated for a moment, and then sprinted down the hall. He slammed into the door for the engine room and threw it open. All of the lights were blown out, including emergency lights. A dim glow came from the corner. He walked over cautiously, keeping the door open for light. A blue foot stuck out from behind the engine. He disregarded caution and hurried over.

Krystal lay on the ground unconscious, clutching a blue stone that gave off the dim light in the room. Suddenly mesmerized, he reached out to grab it.

"Don't touch that!"

Fox flinched away, falling backward onto his rump. He looked around. Of course, the mysterious man was gone again. He blinked, realizing the urgency of the situation. Krystal had been injured. He lifted her carefully into his arms and carried her out to the medical bay, a place that had been used more since her arrival than in the history of the Great Fox itself.

The scan told him that she was alright, but had suffered from severe electric shock. He frowned.

Katt ran in. "What happened?"

"I don't know. The computer is contradicting itself. According to this, she was shocked with enough power to...well, to blow out half of the ship's power grid. And yet, she's fine."

Katt peered over his shoulder. "Wow... is that normal?"

"If she was really exposed to that... she should be dead." He turned and looked at her. "Anyone hit with that much energy would have been fried in a second. Their blood would boil, and the muscle spasms would stop the heart and severely damage the brain with even a quarter of the electric current that she just..." He trailed off. "I mean... not that I'm complaining. I'm relieved that she's alright, but... this is impossible." He walked over to Krystal and placed his hand on her face. Her skin was warm, almost feverish.

Her eyes opened, glowing unnaturally and emanating white light.

Fox recoiled his hand, stepping back. "Krystal?"

Her chest arched and a wave of light shot away from her body.

Katt dropped to the floor, but the light caught Fox in the stomach and hurled him against the far wall. His head slammed back into a screen and he dropped to the ground.

"Krystal!" Katt screamed.

Another wave of light released.

A man in a cloak appeared out of nowhere, absorbing the light into his body before it could do more damage. He gasped, trembling at the power that crawled through his veins. He stepped closer to the still unconscious vixen. Her eyes were open, but her mind was unaware of what was happening. Another wave built up. He leaned over and hugged her, absorbing the energy. "You need to wake up now." He whispered.

Katt screamed in the corner.

The man reached up and placed his fingers on either side of Krystal's head. He closed his eyes to concentrate on the few abilities he had mastered with telepathy.

The light faded, and her eyes closed again.

With a moan of pain, the man collapsed toward the ground. He vanished before he even hit the floor.

Katt got up slowly, eyes wide. "Krystal?"

The vixen groaned. Her eyes opened again, normal this time. She looked up at Katt as her vision blurred violently, and then lost consciousness again.

In the corner, Fox sat up with a gasp. He leaped to his feet. "What happened?"

"I... I don't know. There was this light, and you were knocked out... and she was freaking out but then she stopped." Katt said in a jumble. Her heart was still racing. She didn't mention the man in the cloak, afraid she had imagined it.

"Is she okay?" Fox asked.

"I think so. She...looked like she was awake for a second... and then she passed out again."

The vulpine turned around to examine the damage done to the medical bay. A solid black line had been imprinted around the room at the exact height of Krystal's body. Two screens were fractured, and a table with medical tools was knocked over. He sighed and picked up the table, scooping up the tools and piling them in the center. The screens would have to be replaced, but one still worked.

He scanned her body again. Vitals normal, no physical injuries or damages. It didn't even register that she had been electrocuted. He frowned at the screen. "Well... she seems fine. I'll take her back to my room and let her sleep." He lifted her into his arms and carried her to his bed, where he tucked her in and left her to sleep. He stepped out into the hall, still worried.

"Don't leave her." A voice said.

Fox whipped around, but no one was there. He took a deep breath and rubbed his temple. "I'm losing it." He muttered, walking to the bridge.

"What's going on, Fox?" Falco asked.

"Some kind of short in the engine room. We'll get it fixed when we're done with Katina. Krystal's still out. We'll have to go down without her. Even if she wakes up, I doubt she'll be in good enough condition to join us. She'll be safe here."

"Alright. We've picked up a distress call from the base. They said the captors requested our presence. That pretty much guarantees that we're getting a pay check. Pepper's authorized our permission to go in. We'll be in orbit in about ten minutes."

"What about the warp gate system?" Fox asked.

"Well, we were gonna test it out, but the power surge kinda freaked everyone out. If there's another problem while we're using the warp gate, it could destroy the entire ship. We can't have any potential problems when we're halfway through a portal. It could kill us all." Slippy explained.

"Fair enough. Let's make sure the arwings are ready. Fuel up, check status, check weapons... you know the routine." Fox said. He, Katt, and Falco stepped into the docking bay elevator. "Slip?"

"I'll catch up in a minute. I've gotta finish up the system scan and make sure nothing is critically damaged."

The doors closed and the elevator took them to the docking bay. Fox switched on the power to his arwing but left the engine off. The fuel was full and the Anti-Grav system was up to par. He turned on the system scan and waited. All functions normal, engine status normal. He took a deep breath and sank back into the seat.

"Entering orbit now, Fox." Slippy's voice said over the intercom. A few moments later he stepped out of the elevator and climbed into his ship. "Pepper says we're cleared to land, but we'd better steer clear of the base. Try and make sure they don't see you."

"All systems go." Fox said into the mic. "Let's do it."

(**Meanwhile**)

Krystal's eyes snapped open at the same exact time a quick gulp of air entered her lungs. For a few seconds, she didn't dare to breathe. She slowly exhaled, trembling lightly, and proceeded to get to her feet.

She walked slowly to the door, feeling dizzy. The red light that poured in from the hallway didn't help her dizziness.

Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. She opened her mind to search for Fox.

The ship was empty. There was no one but her on board.

She kept walking toward the back of the ship. There was something... not really a presence, but it felt like a life form. There were no thought patterns, but it was something. She found herself in the engine room. The red light was slowly fading on and off. Red, black. Red, black. There was a soft hissing sound, and fog filled the room. She squinted and waved her hands to try and clear the air by her face.

"Hello, pretty."

Krystal screamed, lurching forward and away from the deep voice in her ear. She threw her hands out in front of her and slammed into the cylindrical engine piece that was in front of her. It was spinning slowly, preventing her from leaning on it.

"Who's there!?" She demanded. Silence. Fear pierced her mind and tears filled her eyes. It was hard enough to see with the fog and the red light. She wiped the tears away and tried to keep the rest at bay, searching the room.

"Leave her alone!" A man's voice cried.

"Make me." The deep voice taunted.

A red flash of light flew at her from her right and shoved her to the floor. She screamed.

"Fine, I will!" A dark blue light streaked across the room and collided with Deep Voice.

"You son of a bitch." He spat.

"What does that make _you_?"

Deep Voice let out an angry roar and ran across the room, tackling the other intruder. They rolled on the floor throwing punches and kicks at each other. Krystal got to her feet, straining to catch a glimpse of them. All she could see was a blob of black with protruding limbs. Occasionally a flash of blue or red light would occur. She kept her distance, afraid of being hit again.

"You can't...keep this... up for long!" Deep Voice growled.

"Neither...can...you!" A blue flash thrust Deep Voice into the air and across the room. He crashed into a wall and fell silent. The man responsible for the blue light climbed slowly up from the floor. "Are you...okay?" He asked the vixen.

"Yes... are you?"

"No..."

"There's a medical bay at the other end of-"

"It won't help... it's okay." He limped over to Deep Voice and did something to his wrist. Deep Voice vanished in a flash of light. "Sent him back...where he came from... You need to... take this..." He held out the blue stone.

"Where did you get that?"

"Off the floor. You were...you dropped it. Remember?"

She furrowed her brow, remembering the sharp pain she'd felt before she blacked out. "What happened?"

"You need to keep this."

"Tell me what's going on!" She demanded.

"YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS. YOU CAN'T LET HIM GET TO IT. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" The man yelled, still holding out the stone.

Krystal stepped forward and grabbed it, and then she grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward her.

"What're you-"

She grabbed the edge of his hood and began to lift, but he vanished into thin air.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Krystal grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards her. His heart skipped a beat and then slammed in his chest.

"What're you-..."

For a split second, he thought she was about to kiss him. Her hand reached for his hood, and he panicked. Time resumed as normal, and he was once again invisible. He sighed, staring for a few seconds at her face. Then he closed his eyes and teleported away.

(**Meanwhile...**)

Fox landed his arwing outside of the Katina base, over a hill and behind a giant mushroom root. He got out and began the ten minute trek towards the base, keeping aware of his surroundings and staying as quiet as he could.

_This would be worlds easier if Krystal was here..._ He thought. He put in his earpiece and contacted Slippy. "Any updates on the situation?" He whispered.

"Nothing new yet, Fox. That distress signal is still coming." The frog replied.

Fox reached the wall of the base. The gates were shut tight. "Any chance you can hack the gates open without them noticing?" He asked quietly.

"Well, I can try. If they're paying any attention to the lock systems they'll see it. But unless they're top notch hackers, they should just think it's a glitch in the system."

"Go for it."

Fox leaned against the wall, waiting. A few seconds later, the gate slid open. "Thanks, Slip." He readied his blaster with a charged shot and cautiously crept into the base.

The area was completely empty.

"Hey, Slip, do you know if they have any hidden cameras?"

"Not that I know of. Usually they just have guards."

"For an advanced military base, they sure don't take a lot of precautions." Fox scoffed.

"I guess they overestimated their abilities. They probably thought no one would be gutsy enough to mess with them." Slippy replied.

Fox looked around once more before lowering his blaster. He made his way to the elevator that led inside without incident. "I've got a bad feeling about this..." He muttered, stepping in and pressing the button.

"If you ... help, just ... be there."

"What?"

The comm gave off a few seconds of static, and then went silent.

Fox again readied his blaster. "Just what I need today." He growled.

Sure enough, the moment the door opened a flurry of lasers launched towards him. He let off one blast and dropped to the floor, covering his head with his arms. He peered under his sleeve to see what was firing at him. It was a machine. He charged a shot and destroyed the main gun.

There was silence again.

_I bet they're all on the next level down..._ Fox thought.

He charged up his blaster and walked down the hall to make sure the room was clear. His comm crackled in his ear.

"First room secure." He said. "Did you get that?"

Static blared. "... under ... can't make ... attack ..." It went quiet again.

Fox sighed. He walked back to the elevator and punched in the code for the bottom level. _This better not be a trap..._ He thought. Just in case, he tucked himself as far into the corner as he could.

The minute the elevator landed on the second level, laser fire erupted from down the hall. Fox groaned audibly and fired off a shot towards another gun machine. The blaster's lock-on mechanism kicked in and blew the top clean off.

There were still lasers coming at him. He charged another shot and blasted the second machine. "The hell are they hiding down here?" He muttered aloud as he took out the third machine.

He took a step out of the elevator and froze on instinct. The hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stood straight out. A soft whooshing sound that made his spine tingle was immediately followed by a sharp pain in his calf. He swore loudly and pulled a blade out of his leg.

_Whoosh_

This time he was ready. He dove forward and rolled.

_Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!_

He sprang up on his hands and flipped over onto his feet.

_Whoosh whoosh! Whoosh!_

One blade cut through his shirt and barely missed his skin. He dove forward again and cartwheeled to the end of the hall.

_Whoosh whoosh!_

A blade nicked his cheek and he swore again, but he'd made it to the corner. An array of blades stuck out from both sides of the wall.

_Pew pew! Pew pew!_

Without a second to catch his breath, Fox rolled to the far wall and fired off shots at the gun down the next hallway. He missed. The lasers began to move toward him. Without thinking, he leaped across to take cover from the corner.

_Whoosh!_

_Squish!_

"AUGH!" Fox grimaced and pulled a blade out of his thigh. He swore loudly and took out the gun machine. Then he crept forward cautiously, gritting his teeth against the pain in his bleeding leg. "Whatever son of a bitch set this up is going to die." He growled.

He moved forward, on guard for whatever attack lay in wait around the next corner...

(**Meanwhile...**)

Krystal walked slowly through the Great Fox, senses on alert. Her telepathy told her she was alone on the ship, but she no longer fully trusted it. Both of the hooded men had somehow eluded her senses, even when standing directly in front of her. Not only that, her blue eyed saviour had vanished into thin air. If he could vanish on command, he could probably appear on command. And if he could do it, what was there to say that his evil counterpart couldn't?

She made her way to the bridge. Rob stood in the corner, staring at a screen.

"Rob. Where is everyone?"

The robot turned and looked at her. "The rest of the team is on a mission to save the Katina outpost." He stated in monotone.

"Is there an extra Arwing? Can I get there as well?" She asked.

"Your new Arwing is in the Docking Bay. It is inadvisable to go but I cannot stop you." Rob replied.

"What's the mission?"

"A distress call was received from an outpost on Katina. We believe it is a hostage situation. Slippy, Peppy, Katt, and Falco are on the outside covering the grounds while Fox is inside the base looking for hostages. Communications were cut off with Fox almost ten minutes ago. Hostiles appeared in the sky after contact was lost."

"Do you know if Fox is okay?"

"Negative. No communication is possible."

"Has someone gone after him?"

"Negative. The base is being overrun."

"Send the coordinates of Fox's last position to my Arwing. I'm going after him." Krystal said.

"It is advisable that you take a weapon, Krystal."

She walked into the Docking Bay and reached for a blaster, but paused just before her fingers made contact. A glint of blue light caught her eye. A sly grin spread on her face.

Staff in hand, she jumped into the Arwing. "It can't be that difficult to pilot alone." She flipped a red switch, and the engine roared to life. She released the emergency brake, and the Great Fox's machinery spun the ship to face the exit. The docking mechanism released, and the Arwing floated out of the air field. She pressed the accelerator and shot off towards the planet's surface.

All she had to do was follow the red dot on the screen. Once she entered the atmosphere, she spotted explosions in the sky below. A fight was going on.

She switched on the comm. "Guys, it's Krystal. I'm going after Fox. Try and clear me a path?"

"Copy that." Falco said. "We'll do our best, but we've kinda got our hands full."

"Thanks." She estimated the location of the red dot on the actual field, and flew towards it. Lasers flew past her. She fired off a few shots at a ship in her way. It exploded into fire, and the remains fell to the ground.

"Sit tight, I'm about to clear your path. Get ready to act fast." Falco said. He boosted up to get alongside of Krystal's arwing and fired a bomb. The enemies guarding the entrance to the base evaporated in white light. "I'll cover you. Go!"

She pulled the ship down next to the entrance. Unsure of how to land properly, she got as close as she could to the ground and then shut off the power. The Arwing sank with a loud bang.

Krystal grabbed her staff and jumped out of the cockpit.

"She doesn't even have a combat suit! What is she thinking?" Falco cried. "She's going in without a blaster for godsake."

"She's got her staff. She'll be okay." Katt said.

"She's gonna get killed." Falco replied.

Krystal dove into the elevator shaft and landed smoothly on the first level. She looked up. A broken machine lay at the end of the hall. She could sense Fox's presence coming from below.

A pad with numbers on it sat on the wall. It was an old fashioned code box with actual buttons. Some of the numbers were dirtier than others.

_The dirtiest button is the first one in the code. The oil from everyone's fingers rubs off most on the first button. The next lightest one is the next one in the code, because some of the dirt and oil has already been rubbed off from the first button. _Examining the pad carefully, she punched in the five digit code by following the pattern. The elevator sank to the next level.

There were more damaged machines at the end of the hall, and several blades sticking out of the side walls. She narrowed her eyes. There were two blades on the floor with blood on them.

She swung the extended staff into the room.

_Whoosh!_

_Clang!_

A blade bounced off the staff.

Krystal examined the wall from inside the elevator, calculating the positions of the blades that would shoot out. A few had been used up by Fox, but there were several more.

She took a deep breath and leaped forward, spinning her staff.

_Clang! Clang! Clang!_

She cartwheeled towards the end of the hall.

_Clang!_

A blade struck the end of the staff and threw off her rhythm. The staff clattered uselessly to the floor several feet away, and she lost the momentum in her cartwheel. She fell to the floor, wide open to the blade shooters.

She thrust out her hands to cover her face and clenched her eyes shut, bracing for pain.

_Thwop thwop thwop thwop thwop thwop thwop! Claaaaannngggg!_

She opened her eyes and gasped. A blue force field covered the length of the hall, protecting her from the blades. They lay uselessly on the floor beyond the field.

She released the field and stood up, a bit shaken. The blades had run out. She picked up her staff and continued towards Fox's presence.

(**Meanwhile**)

"What is this bullshit?" The man grunted angrily as he shot down another fighter. "There aren't even lifeforms on these bloody ships. Who the hell builds a mechanical army?" He blasted another one and rolled out of the way of a rear attack.

"I thought we were on their side. Why are they shooting us?"

"That's what I'm wondering. For someone who wanted this job done fast they're sure as hell not making this easy for us."

"Let's just get inside and finish the damn job."

"Is that an Arwing?"

"Shit. Really? Why is Star Fox here?"

"Let's have some fun."

"Careful; you know how that always turns out."

"Oh, come on. Like you haven't been craving a challenge."

"Don't come crying to me when you get shot down."

(**Meanwhile**)

"We're getting creamed. Where are these guys even coming from?" Falco scoffed as he chased down another fighter.

"Kill one and ten appear. I have no idea. It's like they're just appearing from thin air." Katt replied.

"Is that a... Wolfen?"

"Holy shit. Star Wolf is here? Get them!"

"Hang on, it looks like they're fighting those things too."

"Are they on _our_ side?"

"Kinda looks like it, huh?"

"HEY! That asshole took a shot at me!" Katt snapped.

"Alright. So they're not on our side. Looks like we've got ourselves a real fight on our hands." Falco smirked, bombing a group of enemies and boosting towards the Wolfens. "They wanna mess with us? Bring it on."

(**Meanwhile**)

Fox flattened himself in the alcove, trying to get a moment to breathe. "There's no end to these guys!" He groaned. The endless stream of tiny robots had appeared without warning, streaming in by the hundreds from around the corner and firing lasers. He scowled and fired off a few random shots.

_Sheweh! Sheweh!_

Two red bolts flew by his alcove and knocked back the line of tiny robots.

"I know that sound..." He involuntarily grinned as a blue furred vixen ran past him, holding the staff he'd become quite attached to during his trip to Sauria.

_Sheweh! Sheweh!_

"Take this!" Krystal cried, blasting the line back with a ball of blue energy. She knocked back several using her staff, and several more with another energy blast. It didn't take her long to find the source of the small army; a portal. She jammed her staff into the eye of the portal device, breaking it in two. The portal closed. She smashed the last two robots and took a moment to catch her breath.

Fox walked up behind her. "You're okay."

She turned and smiled. "Of course I'm okay. And thanks to me, you are too."

He chuckled. "Thanks... it's good to see you up and around, and not passed out."

"How... how long was I out?"

"A few days."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

"Corneria's power is back. And I don't know if you noticed, but the ship's been fully repaired as well. You have your own Arwing now. And your own room. Uh... we didn't want to get furniture without asking you first, so it's still empty."

"Wow. I've missed a lot."

"Yeah..."

"Well, didn't Rob say this might be a hostage situation?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sensing thought patterns from farther back. Let's go." She took off at a jog, and he followed.

They rounded a corner where a group of people were tied up and gagged. Fox took out his pocket knife and went to work on cutting them loose. Krystal helped a few with the painful duct tape on their mouths.

"Sorry." She said.

"Thank you! Thank you for saving us!" A black lab cried.

"Who did this to you?"

"A horrible, horrible man. He was wearing a black cloak that hid his face, but those eyes..." The girl shuddered. "He was possessed! His eyes were red, like a demon or something!"

Krystal frowned. She turned to Fox. "If it was the man in the cloak, do you think..."

"Could be a trap." Fox finished. "We need to hurry up and get them out. Is anyone else down here?"

Krystal closed her eyes. "I'm not sensing anyone else, but then... lately it's been off."

"What do you mean?"

"I couldn't sense the cloaked man. It was like he wasn't even there."

"He could be hiding somewhere." Fox cut the ropes on the last hostage. "Get them out of here. I'll make sure there's no one else here."

"Follow me. Don't lag behind, but let me go first."

"We're military, miss. We can handle ourselves."

"No offense, but we're the ones who just untied all of you. The man we're up against is very powerful, and very dangerous. Unless you'd like to be the next victim, please just let us do our job." Fox said. "Krystal knows what she's doing. Stay behind her if you want to live."

Not another protest was heard from the group.

Krystal led them back the way they'd come, cautiously rounding each corner. Fox had disabled most of the traps on his way, but she was still cautious in case they had missed one. She stopped everyone before the hall with the blades.

"Hang on. There was a bad trap here." She stretched out the staff. A blade shot out. "I thought I'd set them all off, but evidently they reload themselves after a while." She focused and stretched out her hand. A blue field engulfed the hallway in a tunnel to the elevator. Dozens of blades shot out and bounced off, clattering to the floor."Be careful. There was a machine in the room above you that Fox destroyed, but there may be another trap. Two at a time up the elevator, and wait in the first level. There's a battle going on above. Whoever goes first, holler to let the rest of us know it's safe."

Two soldiers went to the elevator.

"Clear!" One yelled a moment later.

Two by two, the group went into the room on the first level. Krystal dropped the force field when the last of them had gone. She felt a bit weak, but she needed to make sure Fox was okay.

She ran back down the hallway. "Fox?"

"Not so fast."

She turned to face the owner of the nasally voice, a rather unattractive chameleon. "Can I help you?"

"Awfully snotty for one who's facing her killer."

"Awfully cocky for one who hasn't even caught me yet."

Leon pulled a gun. "Someone wants you dead, and they've put quite a bounty on you. I'm here to get it before someone else does."

"Can I know who?"

"I'm afraid that's a client confidentiality."

"If I guess correctly, would you tell me?"

"Perhaps."

"Either a mysterious red-eyed demon in a cloak, or a white cat?"

Leon raised his brows. "I see you know your adversary. Regardless, I'm still going to kill you."

"I do know them. I also happen to know that they haven't got hardly enough money to put a legitimate bounty on me." She lied. "You can kill me anyway, but I can guarantee you won't be seeing an ounce of that bounty."

His eyes narrowed. "You're lying."

"Could be. Or perhaps I'm telling the truth. I'm quite a lot of trouble for a simple bounty. I can tell you now I'm not going out without a good fight."

"Good. I like it when they squirm."

"I also happen to know that if you kill me, I'll be avenged. And trust me, you aren't going to escape that easily."

"Please. I'm a highly trained mercenary. None of your pathetic friends can touch me."

"Pathetic?" Leon's attention snapped to the intruder in the corner.

"You..."

"That's a bit rude. If I'm pathetic, what does that make you?" Fox smirked.

Leon turned back to Krystal. "You're with Star Fox?"

"Told you I'm not going out without a fight."

The lizard scoffed. "Who says I'm going to stick around that long?"

"Smart choice." Fox chimed in. "A good mercenary knows when he's outnumbered."

"A better one gets away with the bounty anyway."

_Clink_

A round object rolled away from Leon as his skin changed to blend with the room.

"What was-"

"GET DOWN!" Fox yelled, diving away from the yellow grenade that was rolling towards him.

_**KABOOOM!**_

"Fox!"


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"Fox!"

The ceiling caved in and Krystal bolted to the corner. She raised her hands over her head, putting up a shield and deflecting a few stray pieces of wall. A cloud of dust rose from the debris.

"Fox!"

She strained her hearing, but there was no response.

"Fox!"

Suddenly, she realized that something was missing. She could no longer feel his presence from down the hall. He was gone.

(**Meanwhile**)

The small yellow ball rolled towards him. It was hardly larger than a tennis ball. The blue patterns on the surface began to glow, and that's when he recognized that it was a grenade.

"GET DOWN!" He screamed desperately.

Krystal was already running the opposite direction. She had her staff; she would be okay.

He turned to run as time slowed. Pushed off the ground with his left leg.

Used momentum and pushed off with his right, covering his head with his arms.

The explosion rang in his ears, echoing off the walls. The initial shock wave sent him to the floor.

And then suddenly, there was silence.

His eyes were shut tight, and his arms still covered his head.

"Get up. Quickly."

Fox snapped his head up at the voice. His ears were ringing, but he could still hear.

"_Get. Up._" Piercing blue eyes glowed from under the dark hood. He extended his hand.

Fox reached up uneasily, but accepted the stranger's help. As he got to his feet, he noticed his surroundings and his jaw dropped wide open. The exploding grenade was frozen in midair, along with debris. "What's...going on?"

"I stopped time. I'm saving your ass. Don't complain. Come." The hooded man led Fox through the floating debris and towards the elevator.

"Krystal?"

"She'll be fine."

She was already in the corner, hands raised in defense. A blue force field covered her.

"What the hell is that?" Fox asked.

"Your questions will have to wait. I don't have much time."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because... I love her."

Fox tensed.

"I'm not going to hurt you. This isn't about rivalry. I wouldn't stand a chance even if it were. She..." He looked down. "I'm here to protect her. And that's all. And since you're protecting her as well, it's in my best interest to make sure you stay alive to do so."

"If you love her, how are you okay with... helping another man who wants to win her heart?"

The hooded figure chuckled. "You've already won her heart. Like I said, no contest. You've won her heart, she has mine, and all I can do is make sure that she's safe and she's happy."

Fox frowned. He couldn't imagine having to watch Krystal fall in love with someone else and be okay with it.

They reached the elevator. "It's frozen in time. Give me a moment." The man said. He closed his eyes, and the elevator moved.

Up top, time was still frozen. Lasers hovered mid-fire, and ships stood in place.

"What the hell happened?" Fox asked.

"Enemy ambush. See that arwing?" He pointed to Krystal's ship. "Use it. I have to make sure she's safe. Time will unfreeze now." He vanished.

The second cloaked man was no longer in sight, time resumed. Lasers flew and ships blasted by. Fox dove for the arwing and joined the fray.

(**Meanwhile**)

Krystal forgot to breathe. Fox was gone. Dust clouded the air, debris flooded the hall, and Fox was gone.

No, not gone. Moved.

She stretched out her mind and breathed a sigh of relief. He was above ground now.

A frown crossed her face. _How the hell did he get from here to outside in half a second?_

The answer would have to wait. Leon jumped from behind her with a knife. If not for her senses, she would not have been able to avoid it. The combat training she'd learned from her father as a child kicked in. Parry, strike, step back.

He was invisible, but she could sense his presence. She closed her eyes.

To the left.

She ducked under the swipe, delivered a swift chop to his elbow, and moved smoothly back to a ready stance.

Front.

A sidestep avoided the clumsy attack, and a quick jab to the ribs countered well.

_How is she doing this? There's no way she can even see me!_

"I can hear you."She said.

Leon growled. "No one's got hearing that good."

"No, but now I know exactly..." She spun around, extending her staff as she turned, and slammed the end into the side of his face.

"Oof!" He collapsed with a _thump._

"...where you are." She finished with a smirk.

Knocked unconscious, Leon's skin returned to its natural green color. His suit was specially modified to change color with his skin, giving him the ability to become completely invisible without stripping down.

Now that he was out, she had time to think. There was nothing she could use to tie him up. She could use her staff to freeze his limbs to the floor, but he would probably suffer from frost bite and need to have them removed. She wasn't strong enough to pin him beneath a heavy rock, and even if she were, he would most likely end up with several broken bones and ruptured organs.

He began to stir.

Krystal panicked and did the first thing that came to mind.

She pinned him to the ceiling using her blue energy.

"Ugh!" The ground crashed into Leon's back, knocking the wind out of him. He opened his eyes and started to freak out. "Wha-... what-... What are you!" He croaked.

"You're going to tell me who hired you, why, where they are and how I can reach them. And you're going to do it quickly, before my energy runs up."

"Why the hell would I tell you- AUGH!" The reptile cried out as she dropped him two feet, and then raised him again. "You're crazy! No wonder that bitch wants you dead!"

"The white cat, I'm guessing."

"Yeah, you said that already. Her and some hooded demon guy."

"Why do they want me dead?"

"Didn't ask. We're mercenaries; guns for hire. We don't ask questions we just carry out orders and get paid. Especially when we're offered cash."

"Fair enough. Where are they?"

"How should I know?"

"They've got to pay you somehow. If it's cash then it's not an account transfer. It's got to be in person or left somewhere specific."

Leon narrowed his eyes. "Smart girl."

"Tell me quick, I'm getting tired of holding you up there."

"I don't know. We usually figure this stuff out after the job's done."

"That's rubbish. You're all too greedy to take on a job without knowing where the money's going to be the minute you're done."

Leon sighed.

"I'm getting weaker..."

"Corneria. Little corner restaurant called Charley's. It's topside in the central district."

"Now, was that so hard?"

"Let me down!"

Concentrating, Krystal slowly lowered the field to the floor. Leon got up, a bit disgruntled, and rubbed his head. "If I'd known you'd be so much trouble I'd have shot you on sight before you even knew I was there." He whipped out a blaster, aimed for her face and pulled the trigger.

It bounced off a blue shield.

"Nice try. Like I said, I don't go down so easily. I'd suggest you-" She ducked and held another shield as he fired away.

"You'll go down. You already mentioned you can't hold that damn witchcraft up forever. My battery's fully charged and I can fire away at you until long after your pathetic energy runs ou-"

Krystal shoved her hands out, throwing the energy towards Leon. It knocked him clear into the wall, where he bashed the back of his skull and passed out again.

The blue vixen stood up straight and brushed off her pants. "Sorry about the head trauma. Well, not really. You kind of deserved that. Better luck next time."

(**Meanwhile**)

In the skies above the base, arwings and Wolfens battled it out in the midst of a growing number of enemy ships. Things were beginning to get out of hand.

Fox took the first opportunity he could to boost up behind Wolf and fired a shot into his engine, causing the Wolfen to stall. "Can we just call this even for right now and focus on the growing hoard of enemies around us?" He cried angrily.

Wolf grunted as the ship jerked and rapidly jammed the starter. It came back to life just in time for him to avoid being vaporized by an enemy's bomb. "You got a deal. We'll finish this after we're done with them."

Fox sighed. "At least you've got _some_ sense." He looped around and went off on another ship. "Where the hell are they even coming from?"

"There's got to be either a door or a portal somewhere. They can't just be appearing out of thin air, and they're not coming from the sky or another area." Katt said.

"Alright, let's get these bastards. Try and figure out where they're coming from." Falco chimed in.

"Where the hell is my ship?" Krystal's voice came over the intercom.

"Sorry." Fox replied. "I'll come give you a lift as soon as we have room to breathe."

"I think I found the portal!" Slippy said happily. "There are tons of baddies pouring out of three spots. I'll send the coordinates to your radar."

Fox looked down as three purple dots showed up on screen. "Got it. Cover me and I'll take em out." He boosted for the nearest spot, hidden in a corner. A single bomb wiped out the small blue portal and its projecting device. He looped around for the second one, which was on the other side of the wall. Another bomb took out the portal, but not before taking a chunk of wall with it. "So is this the area where they skimped on finances? This wall is supposed to withstand a lot more than a simple smart bomb. Come on."

No one commented. He flew for the third target.

"I got it." Katt said as she destroyed the last portal. "Now let's finish these guys." She dove hard for a group and shot off another bomb.

Falco got in pursuit of five, four, three ships, firing down their numbers with lasers. "You're going down!"

Wolf and Panther locked on to a cluster and fired into it until the only remains were debris.

Even Slippy and Peppy managed to take down several. Without the portal to increase their numbers, the drones were far less fierce.

Fox swooped down and landed Krystal's arwing. He opened the cockpit, and she jumped up. "Hop on my lap. I need a ride to my ship."

"Let's take out some of these goons while we're at it." She grinned, seating herself on his lap and taking the controls. His arms acted as her seat belt, wrapping around her waist and holding her gently in place.

It only took a second to lift off and go after a number of baddies. In a matter of minutes, all but three or four of them had been finished off. Krystal left the last of them to the team and piloted Fox back to his arwing.

"How do you land properly? I had to just shut off the engine when I was close."

"You take this like this..." Fox places his hands over hers on the control sticks and steered her towards the ground, fortuitously nuzzling her neck with his cheek as he looked over her shoulder. "And then you press this..." He pressed the button for landing gear. "The ship will land itself, and you shut off the engine." He did so. "And there ya go." He smiled.

"Thanks." She looked over her shoulder to give him a grin, but paused when her nose brushed up against his.

Butterflies erupted in Fox's stomach. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into a deep kiss. It was too great a temptation to resist at this point. Her breath was hot on his face, making his heart pound. The taste of her mouth was the sweetest thing he had ever tasted, and he wanted to taste it again and again and-

The comm went off. "Last one down! Take that, alien scum!" Falco hollered.

"Falco, they're not even aliens." Katt said.

Krystal blushed deeply and turned away. Fox had half a mind to switch off the comm and kiss her again, but she looked a bit uncomfortable.

"Sorry..." He mumbled.

"It's fine." She replied. She opened the cockpit and climbed out, freeing him. He followed her out and then got into his own ship without making eye contact.

"Still feel up to the fight, Wolfie?" Fox asked.

"Sure you're not gonna wuss out, foxie?" Wolf taunted.

"Not a chance. Bring it."

"You realize there are twice as many of us as there are of you?" Krystal asked. "Not exactly a fair fight."

"So, get some more guys and we'll be even." Wolf retorted.

"No, she's right. I'm gonna sit this one out." Peppy said. "I'm too old for petty dogfights."

"I'll sit out with Peppy. I think you guys can handle them." Slippy said, secretly grateful for an excuse to get out of the line of fire.

"Alright, hit them hard and don't hold back!" Krystal said.

"I'm gonna skin you, evil witch." Leon snapped.

Fox narrowed his eyes. _You're going first, you green blooded goblin._ He locked on to Leon's ship. _No one talks to Krystal that way. No one._

Krystal couldn't help smiling at the fact that he was shooting down Leon for a snide comment towards her.

"What's this? A new member?" Panther purred. "What a lovely rose in such a nasty battle."

"Careful, assface." Katt snapped. "That one has sharp thorns, and one of them is me." She fired a bomb that he couldn't avoid without losing a chunk of his wing.

"Two roses? My, my. You two ladies might want to sit this one out. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

"Boys, leave this one to the women." Katt ordered. Krystal joined in the fight immediately.

Wolf chased after Fox, who managed to avoid most of his attacks while still hacking away at Leon's shield levels.

Falco came up behind Wolf and knocked a chunk out of his rear shields with a fully charged laser blast. "This isn't even a fight. This is child's play."

"You would know what it's like to play with children, bird." Leon snickered.

"What was that?"

"You heard what I said. Don't act dumber than you already are."

"That's it. I'm with you, Foxie. This pathetic loser's about to go down." Falco boosted past Wolf and fired a bomb at Leon, depleting his shields.

"Augh! Me? ME?" Leon cried in horror. He pressed the boost button and left the battlefield.

"Cross me again and I'll send you straight to hell." Falco threatened.

The girls took out Panther in a matter of minutes, and with all four of them Wolf wasn't even a challenge.

"That's a little low, ganging up to finish us off." He said once his shields failed.

"Thought you once said you were the best pilot around, Wolfie. Didn't I hear you asking for more when this started?" Falco asked.

"It's not our fault you didn't think to stick together." Krystal teased.

"Never mind. We'll see you again, soon enough." Wolf led his team away.

"Clean victory." Katt smirked. "Not even a scratch."

It was then that Fox remembered his wounds. Without the adrenaline rush, he was starting to feel the pain. His leg was still bleeding, and he was starting to feel light headed. "I think... we should head back now..."

"You okay, Fox?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine."

He tumbled out of his arwing ten minutes later, nauseous and in pain. Falco helped him into the medical bay.

"The hell happened in here?" He asked, gesturing to the black scorch marks on the wall and the destroyed equipment.

"Long...story... can it wait?" Fox groaned. Falco scoffed and walked out.

Krystal stood quietly in the corner to watch. Rob patched up Fox's leg and offered him medication for the pain, and then he left them alone.

Fox took a deep breath as the meds began to set in. "We...should probably talk..."

Krystal offered a half smile. "I'm not sure you're in the best situation to talk."

"On the contrary, milady. Pain medication tones down whatever stupid fears I have and tends to make be braver. And, not gonna lie, occasionally it makes me really stupid. But... things need to be...sorted... before more things...happen."

She chuckled. "I'm listening."

"I, uh... I usually go with the rule that you shouldn't date coworkers. Causes problems, makes things awkward with other team members... but then again, until recently there were only men on my team, and... I don't really swing that way." He swallowed. "Um... you... you're incredible. You saved my life today, and you kicked ass. You're... beautiful, and smart, and amazing... and if it's okay with you, I'd like there to be a lot more of those lovely kisses in our future." He closed his eyes for a few seconds, feeling drowsy from the medication. "If it's okay with you..." He began, looking up into her eyes. "I'd like to have your kisses to myself... and... I'm kind of already yours, and I kinda really want you all to myself as well. And, you know, dates and stuff. What I'm... trying to ask, I guess... is if you would... maybe... want to be my girl? You know... go steady, date... that sort of thing."

She smiled at him, the kind of smile where her eyes themselves seemed to be smiling. She hesitated, just long enough to create a bit of suspense and tension. Her tongue wet her lips, and she took a breath before responding.

"Yes."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Well folks, we're getting into the more confusing part of the story; the part where **all the top titles are in bold.** This is where the common sense becomes not so common. **If a chapter has a title name, it is not revised.** The chapters that I have revised have **no title name.**

**Example: Chapter 15**

This chapter is revised and part of the final story line.

**Chapter 15: Blah Blah Blah**

**This chapter has a title after it and is not done. It will not make sense following the previous chapter, and will be confusing. **

Don't say I didn't warn you. I'd take the time to give you the title of the next chapter and say "if it says this it's not done" etc but I hope by now you get my point, because I'm lazy, tired, and hungry at the moment and really don't want to put that much effort into bloody chapter titles. Just avoid the next chapter if it has a fancy name. Simple as that.

_Vivian:_ Golly, you're bitchy when you're tired.

_Me:_ Hungry. Hungry, not tired. I'm perfectly nice when I'm a little tired, but right now there's no food in my house. I'm grumpy and hungry.

_Vivian:_ Some grocery store should be open by now. Go buy something.

_Me:_ What part of "tired...?" I want to sleep, not go shopping. Leave me be. I've been up all bloody night, just moved out on my own, wrecked my only car, lost my job, lost my serious relationship, lost a best friend, can't pay rent next month, and I've got one Cup Noodles left. And it's the freakin' shrimp flavor. You'd be grumpy too if all this shit got thrown on you in less than two weeks. Give a writer a break. (-sulks off to bed muttering angrily about life-)


	16. Chapter 16: Awkward Interruptions

**Chapter 16: Awkward Interruptions**

"FALCO!! _NO_!!" Katt screamed. The avian yelled as he fell off of the ledge. Time seemed to slow down. Katt's expression turned into one of horror. So did Krystal's. The crowd all ran below where Falco was going to land, and before he hit the ground, about seven animals caught him, screaming. Katt ran to where he was, shoving animals out of her way, and Krystal sighed in relief. Falco reluctantly signed the animal's shirts, since they had indeed caught him.

By then, Katt reached him. She wrapped her arms around him, and, much to the delight of the crowd, she pulled him into a passionate kiss. Cameras clicked, and animals screamed. Fox sat on the ledge, looking down.

"LOOK OUT BELOW!!" He called, preparing to jump. Katt and Falco broke apart and moved out of the way, and nearly every animal in the crowd, besides them, was trying to get underneath the ledge. "AAAHHH!!" Fox yelled as he jumped.

Outstretched arms caught him, and he carefully got to his feet and signed a few autographs.

The group of animals became aware of a zapping sound, and looked up to see a section of the city's power slowly turn on. Everyone, including team Starfox, cheered.

The Lylat system was slowly coming back together…

(**About an hour later…**)

The Starfox team had returned to the Great Fox, after they'd ditched the crowd… (A/N: Don't ask me how…)

Slippy had fixed the generator while the others were gone, so they had power. Fox, Falco, Slippy, and Peppy retreated to the game-room, where they played a match of Super Smash Bros. Melee on Slippy's Gamecube. Peppy won.

"Phew! I reek…" Katt said, smelling her shirt.

"_Yeah_, you do." Falco said. The next thing he knew, he was on the ground with a painful throbbing in his cheek.

"I'm gonna take a shower. Hey, Falco… you might wanna ice that." The feline said, leaving the room.

"Stupid cat…" Falco mumbled.

"I heard that!!" Katt yelled. The avian cringed slightly.

"Hey, Katt! Tell me when you're done… I need a shower too." Krystal called.

"P-U!! What is that foul smell…?" Falco said, looking at Krystal.

"Katt! Te oei madt av A fidsx xam?" She asked.

"Eh, what the heck. Go ahead!" Katt yelled back.

"Incoming, Falco." Fox said as Krystal raised her fist. In less than a second, Falco was on the ground again, with a very painful ache in his jaw.

"That's actually kinda fun… Now I know why Katt does it so often." The vixen said, shaking her hand from the slight pain in it.

"That, and he deserves it." Fox said. Falco groaned as he stood up. Krystal playfully raised her fist, and Falco flinched. Fox stifled a laugh.

"Well, I think I'm going to my room." Krystal announced, walking out of the room.

"I'm so sick of girls…" Falco said, and then he moved his lower jaw around, trying to see how far out the girls had knocked it.

(**One and a half hours later…** (After Katt _finally_ finished her shower and dried off…))

Krystal sighed as she sat on her bed, re-reading the note from Connor over and over. Katt opened the door slowly.

"Hey, the shower's open. Uh, you can't take clothes in… they'll get all wet. The room is really small. It's basically a shower with a door and a curtain." She said. "And the towels don't even deserve to be called towels. In fact, I might sue whoever made them…"

Krystal smiled and nodded. "Alright… um… I'll send you a message in telepathy when I'm done, and you get everyone to the bridge. I don't want any accidents." She said.

Katt nodded. "Okay…" She said, smirking to herself as she left the room.

(**Forty-five minutes later**)

"_Katt… I'm heading back to my room now… make sure no one is around my room…_" Krystal said to Katt through telepathy.

"_I'm way ahead of you… we're on the bridge… hurry though… Falco is getting impatient, and I'm not sure how much longer I can stall him…_" Krystal stopped reading Katt's mind and opened the door, not hearing what the feline thought next. "_Um… Krystal? Oh well… you never said anything about someone being IN your room…_" (A/N: Uh-oh…)

Krystal crept out of the shower room, holding the towel close to herself. The towel was quite small… it was long one way, long enough to wrap around someone's body, but rather short the other way. A bit too short to completely cover Krystal… She opened her door, sighing as she shut it. And then…

"AAAHHH!! Fox!!" Krystal leaned forward, trying to cover herself with the undersized towel. "Don't look! Turn around and don't look!!" She shouted. Fox was quite startled by everything. He'd been looking at the letter from Connor, trying to decipher the symbols.

At the site of her, wearing nothing but a small towel, he was quite shocked. He quickly turned toward the opposite wall, covering the sides of his face – which were quickly turning red – with his hands. "Why are you in here?" Krystal asked.

"Katt said you wanted to talk to me…" Fox began in a slightly weak voice.

"Katt?! Oh, I'll kill her…" Krystal said to herself. She sighed. "Whatever you do, do NOT turn around until I tell you to." She said. Fox was rather nervous, but he stayed facing the wall. He heard a drawer open and close, and he couldn't resist just turning his head a teensy bit to the right… "I told you not to look!" Krystal snapped. Startled, Fox turned back to the wall, blushing lightly.

Another drawer opened and closed. It was driving him insane to have her behind him with nearly nothing on, so, against what he kept telling himself, he turned his head ever-so-slightly, and his eyes widened. Krystal's back was turned to him, but the only thing she was wearing was a pair of underwear.

His head snapped back toward the wall. _No… I can't look at her… I have to stay this way… _But he couldn't resist looking at her once more as she pulled on a pair of sweat pants.

He gazed at the smooth fur on her back as she opened another drawer, watching the way she moved as she put on her undershirt.

"So help me, if I find that you were looking, I'm going to be very angry." She said.

Fox turned back to the wall, blushing, but he couldn't help but to think about how she looked. _Oh my gawd… I can't believe I did that! Oh… but, she was so beautiful… No… I have to snap out of it before she reads my mind… but… how can I? She's so beautiful… _The image of her was penciled into his mind. He couldn't help but to imagine her…

"Alright… I'm dressed…" She said, interrupting his thoughts. "You can wait here. I'm gonna go and kill Katt." She left the room, leaving the door ajar. She walked onto the bridge, quite casually. "Hi, Katt." She said with a smile, but it looked slightly like a smirk.

Katt flinched. "H-hi, Krys…" She said, trying not to look like she was afraid.

"Um, can I talk to you for a sec?" Krystal asked.

"Y-yeah, sure…" Katt said. They walked into the docking bay.

"_**YOU BIIIIIIIIIIIIIITCH!!!**_" Krystal's voice echoed around the Great Fox, causing everyone to cringe slightly.

The next second, there was a scream, a thud, the sound of glass breaking, and then Katt fled out of the docking bay as if her life depended on it. She ran across the bridge, burst through the door, and stumbled into her room, slamming and locking the door behind her. Falco stifled a laugh.

Krystal sauntered calmly out of the docking bay as if nothing had happened, walked across the bridge, and strolled into her room.

Then she burst into laughter.

"What happened?" Fox asked.

Krystal continued laughing. "Y-you shoulda seen the look on her face!" She managed to say. "Oh, it was _hysterical_!!" She said.

"What happened?" Fox asked.

"Well, there is some shattered glass in the docking bay… and not to mention a broken blaster…" Krystal said.

"What did you do?!" He asked.

"I threw a blaster at her, but it missed, and… well… it…" She mumbled the words in a low voice, and too fast to decipher.

"What?" Fox asked.

"Um… ak xak udt rhebo kxo nadtjxaoct ad oeih uhnadw…"She said with a sheepish smile.

"English, please." Fox said.

"You won't get, mad, right?" She said.

"Depends on how bad it was…" Fox said.

"Hm…" Krystal kissed him. "Promise you won't get mad." She said.

Fox blushed lightly. "I dunno…" He said.

Krystal kissed him again. "Promise." She said.

"Alright… I promise." Fox said, blushing harder. Krystal kissed him again. Then she whispered in his ear.

"_WHAT_!?!" Fox exclaimed.

"See ya!" Krystal hopped off of the bed and ran out of the room.

Fox chased her. "I'm gonna get you for that!!" He yelled in anger. Krystal shrieked, and ran into his room, hiding behind the door. Fox was a little ways behind her, and he skidded to a stop in front of it.

He slowly walked into the room, and then he closed the door. Krystal shrieked, running to the opposite end of the room.

Fox cornered her, and he grabbed her around her waist as she attempted to run by him. "Aaahhh! No, lemme go!" she cried, laughing, as he held her tight.

"Oooh, no. You can't break my arwing and get away with it… you owe me _big_ time." He said, spinning her around and plopping her onto the bed as if she weighed only as much as a feather. He then crawled next to her and pinned her down.

"You're not angry, are you?" Krystal asked, giving him her version of sad, innocent puppy eyes.

Fox grinned. "Who says I'm angry? I just said that you owe me." He said, and then he kissed her. Bad timing… just then, Peppy opened the door. The two vulpines broke away, quite embarrassed.

"…whoops…" The hare said, closing it again. Fox's face was quite red.

"Uh-oh… think we're in trouble?" Krystal asked.

"Probably…" Fox said in a slightly weak voice. Krystal giggled.

"We'd better get that straightened out." She said.

"Good idea… I'll be right back." Fox said, getting up. He left the room and followed Peppy to the bridge. Krystal followed too, at a safe distance. "Uh, Peppy?" Fox asked, blushing as the hare turned around.

"Sorry, Fox. I didn't mean to… interrupt you…" He replied.

"Uh…" Fox blushed harder. "D-did you need to tell me something?" He said, trying not to stutter.

"I did… I can't remember what it was… Oh, now I remember. Someone threw a blaster through your arwing's windshield…" Peppy said.

"Yeah… Krystal told me…" Fox said, wincing slightly.

"The controls will have to be cleaned. The shattered glass fell in between the buttons." Peppy said.

"Just have Rob take care of it. And this time, maybe we should put the four-inch L.P. glass." Fox said, pondering for a second. Krystal had been listening at the door, careful not to be seen, when Falco walked through, setting off the motion sensor. The door opened, and Krystal gasped. Before Peppy turned around, she pretended to just be walking in. Falco smirked at her.

"Eavesdropper…" He whispered. His smirk was replaced by a cringe as Krystal raised her fist with a glare. Falco quickly moved away.

"Ha! You're afraid of me." Krystal taunted.

"Am not!" Falco countered.

"You are too. Why'd you cringe?" She asked.

"It looked like you were gonna punch me again!" Falco raised his fist like he was going to hit the vixen, who flinched. "See! You did it too."

"Yeah, but you were afraid." She said.

"I was bracing myself for the pain…" Falco rationalized.

"Yeah, right." Krystal said, rolling her eyes. "You were afraid."

"I was not!" Falco countered.

"You were too!" Krystal argued.

While Krystal and Falco argued, Fox left the bridge, and walked to Katt's room. He knocked on the door.

"I didn't do it!! I swear!" She cried through the closed door.

"Do what?" He asked.

"I… wait… you mean… you don't know?" She asked.

"Know what?" Fox asked.

"Uh… nothing! Nothing happened… I was… just… kidding! Yeah…" She said, opening the door with her 'I'm acting innocent, but I'm really guilty' smile.

"Oh, one thing… Don't _ever_ pull a stunt like that again." Fox said.

"I thought you liked it." Katt said, giving him a teasing smirk. Fox blushed hard. "Uh _huh_…" She said in a playful tone, still smirking.

"Just don't do it again." He said, still blushing.

"How come?" She asked, still smirking.

"Because, I told you not to. It wasn't funny." He said.

"Are you kidding?! That was hilarious!" Katt said, louder than she wanted to.

"It was very immature." Fox countered.

"Oh yeah? Says who?" She said.

Fox rolled his eyes. "Just don't do it again!" He snapped, now angry.

"Alright, alright!" She said in mock surrender. "I'm not saying it wasn't funny, though." She said, closing the door. "And if anything just-so-happens to go wrong with your arwing, I wasn't in on it." She said through the door.

Fox scoffed. He made his way to the game-room and sat on the couch. After a few minutes of thinking about different things, a familiar figure walked in behind him. She sat down behind him and put her arms around his neck.

"What'cha doin'?" She asked.

Fox smiled. "Just thinking." He said.

"Bout what?"

"Well, you're the mind reader." He said.

Krystal giggled. "Yes, I am…" She said.

(Outside the room, about three minutes later…)

Slippy walked down the hall, heading to the game-room to make sure that the game system had shut off properly, due to Peppy's nagging. He stopped short as he heard something that sounded like a moan. And then another.

He pressed his ear to the door, listening.

"Oooh…" It sounded like Fox. Then Krystal's giggle followed. Another moan followed. "Now that… Oooh… that really… Oooh…" Krystal giggled again. She mumbled something undecipherable. "That feels so good…" Fox mumbled.

Slippy knocked on the door.

"Come in." Krystal said.

The shy frog slowly opened the door. Fox was sitting on the couch, and Krystal was behind him, rubbing his shoulders. She stopped, turning to face Slippy.

"Hey!" Fox complained. "You interrupted my massage…" Krystal giggled.

"I was getting tired anyway." She said.

"Um… I just came in here to make sure that the game system turned off alright." Slippy said.

"Oh, no… Slippy's getting it too!" Fox said.

"What?" Krystal asked.

"The vanishing memory syndrome. He's been hanging out with Peppy too much." Fox replied.

Slippy blushed lightly and smiled. "Actually… I just came because Peppy said to check it…" He said.

"We're just teasing you. It's off, don't worry." Fox said.

The frog nodded and left the room.

"You still owe me a massage." Fox said.

"I don't think so… Now you're just taking advantage of the opportunity." Krystal said.

"Well, it's not every day I get a massage." Fox said.

"That's your own fault. Most people on Corneria would massage you for free." The vixen countered.

"Yeah, and then they'd try to kiss me on the way out." He said. "Do you have any clue why Falco and I always run from the crowd?"

"So you won't get writers cramp from signing autographs." Krystal replied.

"That too… but mostly because the crowd is ninety-eight percent girls… And most of the girls have tried hard to get a smooch." He said. Krystal giggled as he blushed lightly. "What? It's true…"

"Admit it… you like the attention." She said.

"Sometimes… but other times it gets annoying." He said.

"Well, I guess I won't give you any attention from now on." Krystal said.

"Wha-… I… but… I didn't mean you!" Fox blurted out.

"You're just saying that." Krystal said, crossing her arms and turning away.

"No, I'm not! Look… read my mind. I love your attention… honestly…" He said.

"Hmf." Krystal stayed in the same position, holding back a smile. She decided to read his mind, but not for what he was currently thinking. She searched his memories, and her eyes widened in anger. She turned to him, with an angry look on her face. "You lied! You looked when I told you not to! You were looking!" She snapped.

Fox's face turned red. "No I wasn't!" He said quickly, grinning nervously. _Oh, damn… now I'm dead…_

"Yes you were. I know you're lying." She said. _I can't believe he did that! And now he lies about it to my face… Let's see how far he pushes it…_

"I didn't! I swear!!" He said, glancing away. He couldn't bring himself to look her in the eyes while he was talking.

"You lied! You were looking and you know it." She accused.

"No I wasn't!! I… I didn't do it on purpose!" He said, now slightly afraid.

"Oh, baloney crap. I read your mind." Krystal said angrily.

Fox blushed hard. "L-Look, I-I'm really sorry, alright?" He said nervously.

Krystal sighed. "Alright… I forgive you." She said. Fox sighed in relief. "But only because you stuttered." She added with a slight smirk.

"You were playing that whole time!" Fox said accusingly.

"You didn't even catch it until now!" Krystal said with a wide grin.

"I'm gonna catch _you_." Fox said, starting to get up.

Krystal shrieked and ran around to the other end of the couch. Fox climbed right over it. Krystal ran into the corner, and then she put a force field around herself.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Fox said, stopping at the edge of it.

"No, it's not. It can't be cheating if we're not playing a game." Krystal countered.

"No force fields." Fox said.

"You're just saying that because you can't do this." Krystal said. "Don't do anything… I want to try something."

"Oh, no. Not in the game room. You could break something." Fox said, becoming serious.

"Alright…" Krystal put down the force field and ran out of the room before Fox knew what had happened. He turned and followed her. Krystal ran into her room and hid behind the door.

_Wait a second… where'd she go? Hm… maybe she's in my room…_ Fox headed for his room, but when he passed her room, something was nagging at the back of his head, telling him that she was there. _Hm… maybe she _is_ in there… but… I should check my room first… why do I keep thinking she's behind her own door? It's like I can sense her or something…_ He sighed, and then he walked into her room. He peered behind the door…

"Aw, you found me." Krystal said.

Fox grinned. "Something kept telling me you were behind the door." He said.

"Maybe it was telepathy." Krystal said jokingly. "I want to try something, but I want you to just wait right outside, so that I don't end up hurting you." Fox nodded and stepped out of the room. "I'll yell if something goes wrong." She said, closing the door and reaching for the light switch.

As she clicked it on, there was a brilliant blue flash. A tingling surge swept through her body like a thousand tiny needles. The shadows in the room grew much deeper all of the sudden. The dim light in the room seemed to shrink into a point. The vixen's hand seemed to be glued to the light switch. She knew that somehow she had to get away from it. With a great amount of effort, she pulled until she finally did wrench herself free.

Then, everything went black.

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**Author's Notes:** Wow… I actually got this posted today! Falco survived, and he's probably very angry at me for making him sign autographs… Well, that'll teach him to mess around on a thirty-foot high ledge! He got hit _good_ for teasing the girls… Fox got embarrassed, and so did Peppy. Katt's not gonna go playing tricks like that on Fox and Krystal again anytime soon… (Well, they hope) She's certainly grateful that Fox didn't strangle her in revenge for his arwing. And poor Krystal… I wonder who messed with the light switch… Well, that's a question for you to ponder about. Next chapter will be up… well, whenever I finish it, I guess…

Krystal: You are evil. Quit killing me! I'm not a cat… I don't have nine lives!

Me: You aren't a cat, but your grandma was… which gives you… um… about nineteen lives. (Smirks)

Krystal: Nineteen?!

Me: Yeah, because… uh… foxes have ten lives. And cats have nine. Ten plus nine equals nineteen, doesn't it?

Krystal: Hm… I'll have to remember that one. I didn't know foxes had ten lives…

Me: (In a low voice) At least… I think they do… (Clears throat) Anyway…

**Chapter 17: (Title not yet devised)…** Yes, once again, I must rack my brain for a good enough title for this next chapter.

**Decipher this code for a few hints on what is going to happen:** Krystal nacc jihlalo, jadso a doot xoh ke vadajx kxo jkeh0. (Nocc, tix…) Im… A'm xefadw ke vak udekxoh hemudjo jsodo ad kxoho, udt odk kxo tu0, vaducc0, rosuijo A xulo uchout0 jkuhkot sxufkoh oawxkood. A bden… A xulod'k olod jkuhkot sxufkoh jolodkood, udt sxufkoh oawxkood aj xucvnu0 tedo… Rik kxod, kxoho ned'k ro uj misx ev u muak veh ak, hawxk? Je… ad kxo dopk sxufkoh, A holouc nxo hawwot kxo cawxk jnaksx. Krystal muboj u weet hoseloh0… Nocc, jehk ev… oakxoh jxo cejoj kxo penoh, eh jxo xuj jemo badt ev jihwo nxoho jxo'j meho fenohvic… Eh rekx… A ted'k bden 0ok…

Anyway, so, read on if you wish. Nothing's stopping you. I appreciate any and all reviews. Thank you for your time.


	17. Chapter 17: The Power Switch

**Chapter 17: The Power Switch**

Fox stood outside the door, listening as Krystal locked it. Suddenly, the lights began to flicker. The vulpine seemed frozen to the spot, just staring at the lights, for what seemed like hours, although it was only about ten seconds. He heard a soft thud inside the room, and at the same time, the lights returned to normal. "Krystal!" Fox knocked on the door. "Are you alright? Open the door!" He shouted, knocking again.

It was locked, leaving him unable to open it. He kicked it as hard as he could, but the door didn't have any reaction. He then threw his weight against the door, busting the lock and opening it. Krystal lay limp on the floor. He kneeled over her, checking for her pulse. Her heart was still beating, but its pulse was weak.

"Hey, what's going on?" Falco shouted. Fox could hear Slippy shout something back.

The worried vulpine carried Krystal down the hall to the bridge, where Slippy, Peppy, and Rob were working on the computers, trying to figure out what was going on. Only the lights and the power in the sleeping quarters had been affected.

"Fox, do you know… what _happened_!?" Slippy asked, seeing Krystal.

"I dunno… she said she was going to try something, and then she locked herself in her room. Then the lights went out. I found her on the floor." Fox said.

"Get her to the medical room…" Peppy sighed. "That poor girl… she's managed to end up there more than all of us combined." He muttered as Fox carried her down the hall. He laid her on the medical bed, and Peppy turned on the scanners.

"She's been electrocuted… Not too bad, but it might have a few ill effects." He said when the scanners had finished. Krystal winced and groaned, turning her head from side to side.

"Yeah, thank you for stating the obvious. Krystal, can you hear me?" Fox asked, leaning over her. The vixen groaned again, beginning to breathe more heavily. "Krystal…it's gonna be okay." He said softly, trying to comfort her.

Her entire body began to glow bright blue. "Peppy! Get down!" Fox grabbed the old rabbit and pulled him to the floor mere seconds before a wave of the blue energy shot away from Krystal, slamming against the walls. She gasped, breathing heavily, and glancing around the room. Fox slowly got up. Krystal was trembling. "Are you alright?" Fox asked.

Krystal opened her mouth to talk, but no words came out. After a few seconds, she managed to talk in a weak voice. "S-someone… t-the light switch… when I touched it… I-it… I couldn't let go…"

"Peppy, have Rob check it out. Are you okay?" Fox asked.

Krystal nodded. "I-I think so…" She said, and then she slowly sat up. More than anything, she just wanted to be in his embrace… to feel his strong arms around her, and the comforting feeling of him being close to her. Instead, she simply sat there, trembling slightly, pretending to be fine, when inside, she was screaming in terror.

(**During the time when Krystal was unconscious**)

As soon as she hit the ground, everything went black. She could hear herself breathing in an odd, echoing way. Then, she realized, it didn't sound like her breathing. She opened her eyes and looked around. She had to wait for her eyes to adjust to the severe darkness, and even when they did, the vixen could only see the faint outline of the dark shadows. She was in a small room, and there didn't _seem_ to be anyone with her… The deep breathing continued.

"Is someone in here?" She asked after she'd stood. No reply except for the loud, steady breathing. "H-hello?" Still, no reply. The steady breathing was beginning to freak her out, as it never stopped. There was slight movement out of the side of her eye. When she turned around, her heart nearly stopped.

Two small, crimson lights seemed to stare at her… but they weren't lights, she realized with fear.

They were eyes.

Krystal froze in place as the glowing eyes rose up to look her straight in the face, and kept rising until they stopped, about three inches above her. She knew immediately who the eyes belonged to… and she was wishing with all of her heart, mind, soul, and body that it wasn't real. Before her, he stood, with his piercing red eyes…

The cloaked figure.

He was so close that she could feel his breath on her face, sending shivers down her spine. It took all of her concentration to stand there. If she hadn't, she would've screamed, which she began to wish she had done in the first place.

"W-who _are_ you?" She asked in a slightly trembling voice.

He let out a laugh that would make anyone's blood run cold. "_**Who am I? Now, that's a good question. But I have a better one… Why would you ask a question, to which you already know the answer?**_"

"B-but I don't know… I don't know who you are… t-that's why I'm asking." She said, trying not to sound as afraid as she was.

The figure who stood in front of her didn't have to be a telepath to know that she was afraid. Anyone who stood in the room could tell just by being there that she was scared stiff. Being telepathic only made it even more clear. "_**You're terrified… and where's Fox? Didn't he promise to protect you? Where is he now?**_" He asked.

"I… don't know…" She replied.

"_**Well, he's not here, is he?**_" The red-eyed vulpine said. "_**How did you like that little shock I gave you?**_" He asked. "_**Your Fox couldn't save you from that, either.**_"

"C'mon, leave her alone…" A new voice said calmly.

At first, Krystal thought it was Fox. But then, she realized that it wasn't his voice. His voice was different, yet familiar. After a few seconds, she knew who the new arrival was.

"_**Hmf… and, who, might I ask, is going to make me?**_" The first one asked.

"I am." The voice said.

_Krystal, duck, now!!_ His voice echoed through her head. She didn't hesitate to obey. A blue wave shot over her head and stuck the red-eyed figure, knocking him down. _Get over to the wall, and if anything comes toward you, use your power to protect yourself… I'll hold him off as long as I can, but you must get out of here… protect yourself at all costs_. The older of the two brothers got up, and began to glow red. He shot one blast at his younger brother, and one at Krystal.

When the vixen put out her hands to make a force field, none appeared. She dove out of the way of the blast, not a second too soon. She desperately wanted to help the one who'd saved her, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't do it.

She tried harder to make a force field or shoot an energy blast, but nothing happened. The two brothers fought fiercely, shooting blasts of energy and blocking each other's attacks with force fields. The older of the two grabbed the other by his throat and tightened his grip. Krystal gasped, clamping her hand over her mouth.

"_**If you weren't my brother, I'd kill you now…**_" He mumbled, and then he let the other go.

The blue eyed vulpine shot a powerful blast of energy, knocking his brother to the ground. A second blast followed, knocking out a good portion of the wall. "Krystal, run! Don't turn back, just run!!" He shouted in a hoarse voice before he was overtaken by a fit of coughing and gasping.

Krystal turned and ran down the dark hall that was behind the broken wall. She ran as fast as she could, despite the fact that she could barely see anything. Suddenly, she saw the outline of a wall, a few inches from her face. Unable to stop, she put her hands in front of her face just before she ran right smack into a cement wall. The shock knocked her back, and she fell onto the hard ground. When she got up, there was no way out. She was closed in a box, it seemed. No matter what way she tried to go, a thick, hard wall blocked her.

Oddly enough, when she looked up, she saw the place she'd just come from. She was standing on the wall that she'd recently crashed into.

"_**There's no way out of my little trap, sorry though.**_" The cloaked figure's voice said from above her.

"No!" Krystal cried. She tried hard to create anything… a force field, an energy blast, a glow… something that had to do with her power. She finally began to glow blue, all over. She shot an energy blast away from her as hard as she could, closing her eyes incase she actually broke something in the small area. When she looked up, she was in the medical room…

(**Continued from before**)

Krystal sighed shakily, trying to calm herself down.

"That was quite a shock you received…" Peppy said.

Krystal nodded slowly. Her hand rose to the small gem in her necklace, and she fingered it nervously.

"What happened?" Fox asked, trying to break up the uncomfortable silence. _I'm such an idiot… she just told me what happened like ten seconds ago… _He thought, mentally kicking himself.

"I don't know… I… guess that… there must have been… there must've been something wrong with the light switch. All I did was flip it on." Krystal said.

"What were you going to do?" Fox asked.

"I was just going to make a force field and try to keep it up using only my mind." Krystal said. "Hm… I'll try it." She put out her hands, but no force field appeared. _No…no… this can't happen… I know it's there…where is it!?_ She thought frantically, trying again to create a force field. "It's gone… I can't do it." She said, slightly fearful.

"How could it just disappear like that?" Fox asked.

"I don't know…" Krystal was more than enough upset to cry. It took all of her concentration not to. She swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to stop herself from crying as her eyes threatened to fill with tears.

"Wait… what about that rock?" Fox asked.

"I think it's in my room. I'll go check…" Krystal got off of the bed and exited the medical room that seemed a bit too familiar. It annoyed her that she ended up there so often. Fox followed her to her room.

Krystal instinctively reached for the light switch, but Fox grabbed her hand before it got too close. "Oh… You caught me… thanks…" She said. Seeing the rock, she leaned over and grabbed it. Nothing happened. No glow, no light, no spinning.

All at once, an idea struck her. Not knowing why she was doing it, Krystal quickly grabbed the light switch and flipped it on. The same tingling surge swept through her.

"Krystal no!" Fox yelled, a second too late. He knew that he couldn't touch her, or he too would be electrocuted. "Slippy!! Turn off the power!!" He yelled. Krystal let out a grunt of pain as several shocks were sent through her body. The rock began to glow brightly, sending blue rays around the room. They slowly seemed to get lighter, turning closer and closer to white. The vixen found herself not strong enough to pull away from the switch.

"Why?" Slippy shouted up the hall.

"Now, Slippy! NOW!!" Fox yelled.

"It'll take a few minutes for the generator to completely shut off…" Slippy began.

"We don't even have a few _seconds_!!" Fox looked frantically around the room. He grabbed a pillow from the bed, and, using it as a barrier between him and Krystal, he lunged toward her. The force knocked her hand away from the switch, and both vulpines tumbled to the ground.

Krystal still shook slightly from the electric shock she'd received.

"Krystal! Krystal! Can you hear me? Are you okay?" Fox cried. She nodded shakily, and then she weakly wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you…" She whispered faintly. Fox sighed in relief and hugged her back.

"Don't ever do that again…" He said. Krystal nodded. Letting go of him, she held out one hand and made a blue force field. It seemed to be a lighter blue then before, close to the light color that the rock had been glowing…

She giggled softly, in spite of the situation. "I can do it…" She whispered quietly.

"What?" Fox asked.

"I can do it… look." Krystal said, making another force field. Concentrating hard, she slowly put down her hand. The force field stayed there. A wide grin spread on her face as she put it down by simply thinking about it.

"Whoa…" Fox said. "Now _that_ is cool…" He said.

"No, it's absolutely the most normal thing in the world and it happens to everyone…" Krystal said sarcastically, holding back a smile.

Fox smiled, and then he began to laugh. Krystal laughed too. They laughed until their sides hurt, and then they finally calmed down.

"I think my blanket is still in your room…" Krystal said.

"Yeah… it probably is. We never took it out." Fox replied.

"Fox, could I sleep with you tonight?" Krystal asked. Fox blushed, looking at her nervously. Realizing how she'd said it, she blushed and clamped her hand over her mouth. "Oh, gawd! No… that didn't come out right!" She said, mentally kicking herself. "I meant… um… well, could I sleep in your room tonight…? I feel scared sleeping in my room. I've got no light, and the door's broken. I'm just afraid that the cloaked guy might come…" She winced slightly, knowing that she sounded like a little girl who was frightened about monsters under the bed.

Fox blushed. "Well… I… I don't mind… I just…" He began.

"Alright… I'll put on my pajamas." She said quickly, before he could protest. Fox blushed lightly as he exited her room and stood outside the door, which Krystal pushed as closed as it would get.

He was almost tempted to peek, but instead he listened to his conscience, which was screaming at him, quite distractingly, scolding him about what had happened earlier. _Fox, you stupid no-good idiot… if you look at her again, you will absolutely be the lowest animal in the universe! You're lucky she's still talking to you! After all you've done to disrespect her, she should dump you… She should dump you like a bag of trash… _He winced at his own thoughts. _Here you have the most beautiful girl in the world, and that's not enough for you… No… You have to go and make a pig of yourself! You don't even deserve to _know_ her, let alone kiss her… You have got to be the stupidest being in the universe that you'd take advantage of her… and after what Father and Peppy taught you… They told you to respect women… but you didn't respect her, did you? …Ahg, what am I thinking!? I made a few mistakes… so what?! She forgave me, right? She still wants to sleep in my room… Yeah, but she doesn't have to… She's only doing that to be nice so that you don't feel too horrible after what you've done… oh, shut up already!_

To his relief, Krystal came out of her room, interrupting his argument with… himself… She took his hand, and they walked down the hall toward his room. He was quite distracted with yelling at himself, and he nearly jumped as something brushed up against his tail.

He blushed lightly, and then he grinned as Krystal's tail gently rubbed against his. They entered his room, and Krystal let go of his hand to run and plop onto the bed. She rolled on it, stopping as she got close to the edge. For the first time, Fox realized what she was calling 'pajamas'… a small, snug, white spaghetti strap tank-top and a pair of light grey, short sweat shorts. And were they short.

_She's taunting me…I know it…No, dangit, I am going to control myself! …For once… Ahg! SHUT UP!! Oh, brilliant… what if she's reading my mind!?_ The vulpine blushed as he sat on his bed. Krystal reached over and stroked his muscular arm, which made Fox blush harder.

"Put on your pajamas, silly…" She said. Fox got up and took a white t-shirt and a pair of long, dark-grey sweat shorts out of his dresser. He put them on in his small bathroom, and then he returned to Krystal, who was patiently waiting for him. She was lying on her side, leaning her head on her elbow in a drop-dead gorgeous pose, one that would've made any male stare open-mouthed.

Fox kept his mouth shut, afraid that something stupid might come out of it. He nervously laid on the bed, doing his best not to do anything dumb. Krystal let off a slight smirk. She knew perfectly well that she was driving him crazy.

She scooted close to him, placing her arm on his muscular chest. She then slowly moved her legs against his. She lifted her left leg and slid it over his, which was more than enough to drive him absolutely _insane_, and make him blush bright red. They stayed that way for a while, waiting for sleep to overcome them. Krystal turned over, leaving her back to Fox.

He then turned toward her, and rather slowly moved his arm to put it around her. His hand connected with something plump and round. Krystal let out a soft gasp.

Fox was rather confused, wondering just what it was that his hand was touching. _Wait a second… this doesn't really feel like her back…_

"Um… Fox?" Krystal asked, sounding a bit nervous.

"Yeah?" He replied. _Uh-oh… I have a bad feeling like…_

Krystal finished his thought for him. "Um… that's my butt."

Fox's hand shot back to his side faster than he could blink. "Oh, gawd! Krystal, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, really!" He blurted out, blushing.

"It's alright… you didn't know." Krystal said. She could sense that he was very embarrassed, and angry at himself.

_Ahg!! Why am I such an idiot!? How could I be so stupid!_ Fox thought angrily. He put his hand on his head, grimacing in embarrassment.

"Fox, don't be so hard on yourself… It really wasn't your fault. It was an accident." She said, and then she turned toward him. Fox turned to face her, grinning slightly in a nervous way as he stared into her blue-green eyes. Krystal smiled back and scooted closer to him. "I can't wait until I'm on the team…" She murmured, closing her eyes.

"Me neither. It'll be great once this whole power thing blows over." Fox said. But there was no reply, as Krystal was already almost asleep. Fox, too, closed his eyes, letting sleep take over him…

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**Author's Notes:** Wow… I really didn't think that this chapter would take so long! I actually rewrote the middle of the chapter about five times, which is one of the reasons why I didn't have it up as soon as I would've liked. The other reason is that I couldn't find a good enough title for the chapter until it was already done. So, yeah… Krystal survives, once again. Um… what Peppy finds in Fox's arwing will be explained in later chapters… And at the end of this chapter, (Drum roll please…) I'm not killing anyone!

Fox: Yeah, right.

Me: Hm… Well, we'll see… (Clears throat)Anyway…

**Chapter 18: The Last Test…** Wow… surprisingly, I have a title for this one already, probably because it's already almost half done. 'The Last Test'! Read the last two things that Fox and Krystal say in this chapter… That's the only hint, sorry. The end isn't finished yet, and I've got a mild case of writers block, so be patient.

Oh, and btw I _have_ been electrocuted before. (And I'm still alive…) I was trying to plug in my lamp in the dark, and I put my finger on the metal part to feel where it was supposed to plug in… You can guess what happened next.

I do admit that I have been very unkind to Krystal these past few chapters. Whether or not that will ever change, I don't know… You'll simply have to read the rest of the story to find out. I have _absolutely_ no intention whatsoever of leaving this story hanging in the dust, although I may take a while to post sometimes.

I appreciate any and all reviews. Thank you for reading!


	18. Chapter 18: The Last Test

**Chapter 18: The Last Test**

Krystal ran down the path from the fifteen animals who were chasing her around Fichina. She skidded across one of the frozen rivers, and hid inside a small cave. She grunted as a stinging pain shot through her leg. She turned around angrily and shot the animal that was there, and then she turned back to where she'd entered and picked off five of her enemies as they ran through the opening. Then she carefully ran out the opposite entrance to the cave, and hid in the snow.

When three of the foes came running through the cave, she blasted them as fast as she could, and then she took a mine out of her back pack and set it where she'd been standing. She then backed up a few feet, making sure she was out of reach of the motion sensor. The remaining six animals ran out of the cave, shooting at her. She created a force field directly in front of herself, protecting her from the fire of their guns. They ran at her all in one small group, activating the sensor bomb. All five of them blew to pieces.

Krystal smirked. She walked back toward the climate control center, but as she drew near, about fifty of the animals she'd faced earlier rushed out of the door. She gasped, and then she began firing away, killing the first few of them. They were quickly surrounding her.

Without a second thought, she put a force field around herself, and after about five seconds of charging, the light blue energy shot out in a circle around her, knocking out several of the baddies. One of them shot her gun, disabling it. "Oh, blast…" She mumbled. "Alright, you wanna fight?" She asked, walking toward the group he was standing in. She made a fist and threw it out in front of her, sending a blast of light blue energy toward them. She then took out two machine guns, and holding one in each hand, she pulled the triggers and spun around, killing all but one of the animals.

Then the bullets ran out.

She aimed one machine gun at him and pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. She threw it down and aimed the other one. Again, nothing happened. She shook the gun, frustrated, and then she realized that it would not work again. She sighed, and then threw it at the animal as he aimed his gun. It hit him in the head, killing him too.

"Ha! Beat that!" She shouted. There was a zapping sound behind her, and she turned around and groaned. "No, not the robot again! I don't even have a gun!" The vixen yelled. She and Fox had gone to the training grounds every day since the power generators had been fixed, which was three days previous from the current time. She'd beaten the robot before, with a gatling gun, a homing rocket launcher, a sniper rifle, a jetpack, and of course, her blaster. She checked her backpack, and found five grenades and four mines. She took a deep breath, and held the gem in her necklace tight in her palm, trying to think of a plan. She activated a grenade, stuck a mine on it, and hurled it through the air.

It blew up when it hit the giant robot's head, deactivating its motion sensors. She then ran to it and climbed its three story body until she reached its back, and pulled a mine out of her backpack. The robot began to lurch in all directions, almost throwing Krystal off its back, and forcing her to drop the mine. She grabbed one of the wires that were inside of its middle, holding on tight and trying to place her feet on something stable.

She managed to get a grip on the robot with her feet, pressing her heels into the metal to keep her balance. She saw a small hole in the robots wiring, and placed two grenades inside of it. After setting the timer of both of them, she let go of the wires, and shrieked as she fell to the ground, rolling as she hit the snow.

The grenades blew up, and the robot began to topple. She hadn't killed it, and now it was mad. Using the heat sensors, it ran after her. The vixen darted into the control center, grabbing a gatling gun and more grenades off the ground on the way. She swiftly grabbed a canister and a homing rocket launcher, and then returned to the entrance tunnel. She set the canister up a few feet outside of the control center, right in front of the robot, and then returned to the tunnel.

It went off, sending hundreds of mines into the sky. Most of them hit the robot, ruining more of it. She then took out her homing rocket launcher, and, getting only as close to the end of the tunnel as necessary, she blasted its knees, immobilizing it. She then took out her gatling gun to finish it off. The upper half of the robot blew up in a brilliant explosion, sending chunks of burning hot metal in all directions.

"Yes!" Krystal shouted happily.

"Great job, Krystal… now head back to the entry way… the machines are scanning your results now." The general's voice echoed around the room, which was changing back into its original state. Krystal ran back out of the room, where Fox was waiting.

"You did great!" He said enthusiastically. "That was amazing how you defeated the robot. You didn't even have your blaster."

Krystal smiled. "I think the general will be a bit angry… there's not much left. It'll take more than Slippy to repair it…" She said with a giggle.

A door opened, and the general came out with a stolid look on his face. Fox crossed his fingers, and Krystal bit her lip nervously. "Krystal…" The general said, his face still in the same, emotionless expression. "You passed." He said, smiling.

Krystal's face lit up and she shrieked in joy. Fox sighed in relief. "You did it!" He said happily. Krystal ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. The general chuckled.

"I did it! I did it!" Krystal said happily. "I passed! I'm on the team!" Unable to contain her joy, and much to the surprise to the general, she leaned up and kissed Fox.

When they broke away, Krystal looked over at the general and laughed. His eyes were so wide that they almost looked like any second they'd pop out of his head. Fox laughed to, and blushed slightly.

The general cleared his throat and looked down, slightly embarrassed. He stepped toward Krystal, holding a small object in his hand. "This is for you." He said, handing her the Starfox emblem. "I had a tailor come to make you a suit, so I hope it fits. It's about the same size as the one you have on," He said, gesturing to the special suit she was wearing. "…only the colors are different, and there were a few modifications. Here." He took the folded material and handed it to her. "You can try it on, and tell me if it fits alright." He said. Krystal nodded and walked into the small dressing room.

"She did fine, although her stamina isn't very much. It was one point below yours. Her arwing and landmaster abilities were good for a beginner, although her pilot skill is slightly better." The general said to Fox, who nodded. "I'm sure she'll do fine on any mission, although she does better when she's not in a group." He pointed out.

"I noticed that… It's probably because she used to fend for herself, and not have someone to help her. I'm sure she'll do fine. She's a good fighter. She depends on what is around her, and she doesn't panic if she loses a weapon. Even when she's surrounded, she still keeps her head. It's amazing how…" Fox cut himself off as Krystal walked out of the dressing room in her new suit. He found himself unable to do anything but stare at her.

The suit was slightly low-cut, and it emphasized her naturally curvy figure. It had an interesting pattern of an almost black dark blue and a dark bluish-purple. (A/n: Yes, incase you are wondering, it is the very one she wears in SF: Assault) The material was laser-proof to a certain capacity of damage, and it was quite comfortable.

_Wholly crap, she looks gorgeous in that… _Fox thought to himself. "Wow…" He mumbled.

Krystal blushed lightly. "It fits fine… it's really comfortable." She said.

"Very good. I guess I won't be seeing you until a new mission comes up." The general said.

"I guess you're right…" Krystal said.

They said goodbye to the general and left. After crossing the large parking lot, they waved down a taxi.

"The Everyday Inn, please." Fox said to the familiar cat who was driving.

"Well, what do you know? It's Fox McCloud!" The black and white feline said.

Fox winced slightly. Krystal laughed. "How are you?" She asked, recognizing him.

"I'm good… I see you survived that bomb thing." He replied.

Krystal nodded. "Mm-hm."

"How's Katt doing?" The feline asked.

"Oh, she's fine. Guess what?" Krystal said.

"Huh?"

"I just passed the test. I'm now an official member of the Starfox team." Krystal said.

"Wow… cool! Can I join?" The feline asked jokingly.

"You can be our chauffeur." Krystal said, smiling as she played along.

The cat laughed. "Fine by me…" He said.

"Hey, since when do I get left out of plans made for my team?" Fox asked.

Krystal and the driver laughed. "You weren't left out, you were right here. And plus, wouldn't you like a personal chauffer?" The vixen asked.

Fox grinned. "I guess that would be good." He said.

"I don't think I'm your personal chauffer, although I have driven you for free before. By the way, my friend's son is a big fan of you. Do you think I could get an autograph for him? You know, like an autograph instead of money?" The cat asked.

"Sure…" Fox said. "Ya got a piece of paper?" The feline took a piece of paper from a small notebook and handed it over his shoulder. "What's his name?" Fox asked.

"Um… Jimmy." The feline replied. Fox signed the paper 'to Jimmy, from Fox McCloud', and then he handed the paper to the driver.

When Fox and Krystal got out of the taxi at the hotel, a mob of screaming animals ran at them. "Run!" Fox shouted, grabbing Krystal's wrist and heading in the opposite direction.

"Why?" She asked, running at the same pace.

"Just trust me… it's fun!" He replied, turning a corner and running down an alley. They hid behind a large, smelly dumpster as the crowd ran by them. Then they hurriedly crept out and ran the other way.

"Look! There they are!" One of the fans had turned back and seen them. The mob was after them in seconds. Fox and Krystal turned and fled down another alley. In the middle of the alley was a tall wire fence. "Come on… we've got to climb it." Fox said, grabbing the wire and beginning to climb. Krystal did too, but she couldn't quite get over the top.

"I can't get over…" She said as the mob entered the alley.

"Just jump, I'll catch you." He said. Krystal carefully got her legs over the top, and then she let go, falling down. Fox caught her and then set her down, and they ran down to the end of the alley. They stopped to catch their breath, laughing, and looking back at the now angry crowd.

"Do you do this often?" Krystal asked.

"Nearly every time… otherwise I'd get writer's cramp from signing autographs." He said. "Not to mention the million girls who've tried to kiss me…" Krystal giggled.

"Like this…?" She leaned up and kissed him, sending surprised gasps and murmurs through the crowd, as well as engaging the flash of several cameras.

Fox blushed lightly as she pulled away. "Close, although they never actually did it. C'mon… let's get back to the hotel. I can't wait to tell Slippy and Falco you're on the team. You can tell Katt." They walked down the street and back to the hotel.

When they got back up, they split up. Fox knocked on Falco's door, and Krystal knocked on Katt's door.

The feline opened the door, and seeing Krystal, she looked confused for a second. "Krys, what's wrong?" She asked. Krystal smiled.

"I'll tell you inside…" She said. They both walked into the living room.

"C'mon, spit it out!" Katt urged.

"I beat the tests! I'm on the team!!" Krystal blurted out happily, jumping up and down.

"Oh my gawd! That's great!" Katt said.

"I know… I'm so happy!"

"I'd call this a special occasion, and it's just the one I was looking for. You see, I had this really cool sidekick phone, but then my friend Lily gave me her iPhone, so, now I have no use for it. Ya want it?" Katt said, taking the expensive pink phone out of her pocket.

Krystal shrieked, lunging for the phone. She grinned as she began to fiddle with it.

"I even set up an account for you." Katt said proudly, handing her a piece of paper with some information about the phone jotted down.

"Oh, Katt! Thank you so much!" Krystal said happily.

"There's more." Katt said with a friendly smirk. Krystal looked up from the phone, her eyes wide. "Um… my friend Danielle gave me these jeans, but they're a bit too small at size _three_…" Katt said, picking up a pair of dark-blue low-rise jeans with a large flare at the end of the legs. Krystal shrieked again, grabbing the jeans and putting them in front of her, sizing them up.

"Oh my gawd!! Katt, thank you _so_ much!" She said, looking the jeans over. Suddenly her expression became skeptical. "Wait… don't you wear size three?" Krystal asked.

Katt nodded. "Well, yeah… but those didn't fit right. They're not made for my body style. So, now they're yours." She smirked.

(**Meanwhile, in Falco's room…**)

"Slippy, now the shower's leaking!" Falco yelled at the frog, who was trying to repair the sink.

"I can't do everything! The water valve broke!" The frog said defensively. He fought the urge to sigh in relief as there was a knock on the door.

"_What_!?" Falco snapped.

"Hey, Falco! Can I come in?" It was Fox.

"Yeah, but it might be a little wet until frog boy fixes the sink." The avian retorted. He opened up the door, and let the vulpine in. The carpet was slightly damp, and there was water on the bathroom floor.

"What happened?" Fox asked.

"The sink broke, and Slip-up's trying to fix it." Falco said. Slippy glared at the bird as he heard his least favorite nick-name. "Now the shower's leaking too."

"Yeesh… well, I hope you fix it, Slip." Fox said. Slippy sighed.

"It's a bit difficult with bird-brain taunting me." He said.

"What was that?!" Falco snapped.

Slippy cringed. "Uh… n-nothing, just… talking to myself…" He said nervously.

"Yeah, you'd better be." Falco said.

Fox grinned. _Will those two _ever_ get off each other's back? It seems as though they're always fighting…_ He thought.

"So, exactly what was the point of you coming?" Falco asked.

"Um, today, Krystal and I went to the training grounds, and… now she's an official member of the team." Fox said.

"Whoop-dee-doo." Falco said sarcastically. "Is that it?"

"Woo-hoo! Krystal's on the team!" Slippy shouted excitedly. "Now she can go on missions with us!"

"Um, Slip, incase you haven't noticed, we haven't _had_ any missions since the whole bomb thing. And we didn't stop anything from happening, so, we didn't get paid. Technically, we haven't had a good mission since Sauria, and most of that money went to repairing the ship. We're lucky we still have the hotel rooms." Falco said.

Fox sighed. "Don't get your feathers in a pillow. I'm sure there will be another mission soon."

(**About five hours later**)

"What?! What do you mean we have to move the ship!?" Fox shouted at the hologram of General Pepper.

"I'm sorry, but the majority of the CDF (Cornerian Defense Fleet) is holding an important meeting in about three hours, and I'm afraid the Great Fox is taking up a large amount of room at the docking bay." The aged canine replied.

Fox groaned. "So, now what're we supposed to do? What if another mission comes up? We can't just make it out of here in our arwings… that'd take too long." He said.

"Also… I'm afraid the government is unwilling to pay for the expense of the hotel rooms. Under the circumstances, I'm afraid you'll have to leave the hotel unless you can pay for it yourself…" The General said, with a hint of regret in his voice.

Fox sighed. "Alright… We'll contact you when we're at the docking bay." He said, ending the transmission.

"Now what happens?" Krystal, who'd been listening in the corner of the room, walked over to him.

"I guess we just end up like before… floating around the Lylat system waiting for a mission. Last time, it took eight years."

(**On the Great Fox, two hours later…**)

"Engine's having trouble… I don't think it'll make it out of here…" Slippy said as he punched a few buttons.

"We've got to be out of here in less than forty minutes. We don't have time for engine trouble." Fox said.

"Slippy, go see what you can do. I'll keep trying." Peppy said. Slippy nodded and left his chair, heading for the engine room. Peppy sat in the chair, fiddling with the different levers and buttons on the control board.

The ship began to rumble as it slowly lifted off of the ground and began to make its way out of the docking bay.

"Anti-gravity shield has been enabled." Rob said in his monotone voice as the ship began to turn up sharply, heading for space. Fox, Falco, and Katt grabbed onto whatever they could find that was bolted to the ground as everything began to slide toward the back of the room. Krystal lunged for a chair a second too late, landing on the ground. She shrieked as she began to slowly slide toward the back of the ship.

"Gotcha!" Fox said as he reached out and grabbed her hand. "Don't let go until the gravity stabilizers kick in." He said. Krystal nodded. Peppy pulled a lever on the chair he was in, locking it so it wouldn't spin.

"Hang on…" He said as the ship turned completely vertical. If they hadn't been holding on to the chairs, the team could've walked on the walls.

"Gravity stabilizer will activate in five…" Rob began as he typed in a code on the computer. "Four… three… two… one…" All at once, the team found themselves pulled back to the ground.

"Oof! Couldn't they have made it a more gradual change?" Falco asked angrily as he picked himself up off of the ground.

"Obviously not, bumble bird." Katt said.

Falco glared.

Fox and Krystal got up off of the floor. Krystal stared out the window in awe of the sight as they exited the planet's atmosphere. "Hey, we haven't done anti-g in a while." Fox said.

"What's anti-g?" Krystal asked.

"Oh, no… not that… _anything_ but that!" Falco said.

"What's wrong, birdie? You scared?" Katt asked tauntingly.

"No… I just hate when he does that. Last time…" Falco began.

"Hey, Rob, let's go anti-g for a while." Fox said. Falco half-dove into his chair and pulled a strap over his waist.

"Affirmative. Gravity stabilizer is being disabled." The robot replied.

"Gravity stabili-" Krystal cut herself off with a shriek as she felt her feet lift off the ground. Katt pushed off of the ground and floated across the room. "Oh my gawd! I'm flying!" Krystal said.

"Isn't it cool?" Fox asked from the ceiling, where he was sitting.

"No!" Falco shouted.

Krystal laughed as she spun around. "Whee!" She cried.

"AAAHHH!!!" Slippy's voice screamed. "WHO TURNED OFF THE GRAVITY!?!" All team members on the bridge, minus Rob, burst into laughter.

"Hey, Fox… how did you get up there? I can't go anywhere…" Krystal said.

"Here, grab my hand…" Fox reached out, trying to reach the vixen. She reached up, trying unsuccessfully to grab the vulpine's hand.

"I… can't… reach…" She said. Their fingertips could touch, but they were just a few inches too far away. Fox leaned toward her slightly, and then he took her hand and gently pulled her toward him. She turned around, looking down at the bridge. "So… this is what the Great Fox looks like from above." She said, looking around.

"I think I'm gonna up-chuck…" Falco said weakly, putting his hand over his mouth.

"Don't you _dare_! I am _not_ under _any_ circumstances gonna clean up your puke!" Katt snapped.

"Uh-oh…" Krystal said.

"What?" Fox asked.

"If he pukes when there's no gravity, it's gonna go everywhere…" She said.

Katt scoffed and pulled herself along the walls, heading down the hall. She returned a few minutes later with a bowl and a paper bag, and handed them to Falco, who was feeling very nauseous.

"Rob… turn the… gravity… on… in my room… please…" He managed to say in a weak voice. Rob typed in a few controls on the computer. The avian undid his seatbelt and slowly pulled himself along the walls until he reached his room, and then he walked into it and plopped onto his bed, feeling very sick.

"I don't get it… he flies around in space doing numerous flips and loops, and in here he gets sick." Krystal said.

"That's one of the many unexplainable traits of Mr. Professional Bird Brain." Katt said.

Krystal laughed. "Nice name…" She said.

"That's a new one… I'll have to remember it." Fox said.

Krystal pushed off of the ceiling and carefully placed her feet on the ground, only to bounce off and float through the air. "Ahg! I can't get on the ground." She said.

Fox laughed. "Okay, Rob. You can turn the gravity back on." He said, preparing to jump back to the ground. Before he could, the gravity stabilizer was turned back on, sending him to the ground with a thud and a groan.

"Fox! Are you alright?" Krystal asked. Fox wearily got up, wincing slightly.

"Yeah, I think so…" He said. "Hey, Rob… next time you do that, wait until I'm on the ground."

"Affirmative." The robot replied. There were several crashes, along with an exasperated yell from down the hall, where Slippy was working.

"NO! Not the wrench! No, nonononono _NO_!!" Slippy yelled at the top of his lungs. "_LEAVE THE GRAVITY CONTROLS ALONE_!!!"

Fox, Krystal, and Katt burst into laughter. A very distressed looking frog stumbled into the room. "When you turned on the gravity, all of my tools fell down the…" And then he blurted out a few words that absolutely no living being on the bridge understood.

"Um… okay…" Fox said, trying to remember what the frog had said.

Katt and Krystal simply stared blankly. "Um, Slippy, we have absolutely no clue what you just said." Krystal said.

Slippy groaned, and then he angrily stomped out of the room to recover his tools from… wherever he'd dropped them.

The rest of the day was spent in the game-room, playing on Slippy's Gamecube. Falco stayed in his room, sulking and feeling sorry for himself about what a headache he had from the effects that the non-gravity moment had on him.

Then the team headed for their rooms. As had happened the previous nights, Krystal stayed in Fox's room, with the excuse that she was saying 'good-night', although Katt knew better.

"How'd you like the no-gravity thing?" Fox asked.

"It was… fun… it's interesting to be able to sit on the ceiling." Krystal replied. They were sitting on Fox's bed, talking. They were both in their pajamas, and Fox had one lamp on.

"There was something I wanted to talk about, but… I really can't remember what it was." Fox said.

"Hm… do you want me to read your mind?" Krystal asked.

"No… it was a surp…" Fox caught himself, realizing that what he'd been about to say wasn't the wisest choice. "Err… it wasn't that important."

Krystal noticed him cut himself off, but she decided to let it slide. "You're sure you don't remember?" She asked. Fox shook his head. Krystal yawned. "Well, you'll think of it tomorrow… Let's go to sleep, I'm tired." She said.

"Yeah… me too." Fox said. He turned off his lamp, and they scooted underneath of the blankets. _How could I forget about that? I've got to remember… okay… think… rewind… Peppy told me about my arwing, but then Krystal walked in… he came to me later, and told me that… there was… oh, fricken forget it… wait… her staff! Oh my gawd! How could I forget that! It was her staff!!_ Fox sat up quite suddenly. "I'll be right back…" he quickly got out of the bed and hurried to his dresser, where he dug through the bottom drawer.

He sighed in relief as he recognized the familiar blue gems. "I remember what it was." He said.

"What?" Krystal asked, sitting up drowsily.

Fox sat in front of her. "Turn on the light." He said. Krystal groggily reached over and clicked on the lamp. When she saw the object in his hands, she wasn't sure whether she was more shocked, or happy.

"My staff! Where did you… but… how did it…?" She began trying to find the right words to say and she took it into her hands.

Fox grinned. "That little object is what nearly cost us our lives on our way back to the Great Fox. Because I bought it, I didn't have enough money to pay for the fuel needed for the arwing." He said.

"Oh, Fox!" Krystal threw her arms around his neck and held him tight. Fox returned the embrace. "Thank you… thank you so much…" She said softly.

"I thought you'd be happy…" He said.

Krystal pulled out of the embrace, and then she kissed him passionately. When they broke out of the kiss, Krystal set her staff on the side of the bed and clicked off the lamp. Then, after scooting closer to Fox, she fell asleep.

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**Author's Notes:** Woo-hoo! I got this finished fast! In a few chapters, this story will take an interesting turn…Anyway… two chapters in a row, and no deadly situations. I must think up something evil for the next chapter. Hm…

Fox: Whatever you do, don't include Krystal or me.

Me: Just for that, I think I'll make the next chapter centered around you two being in a dead-serious life threatening situation.

Fox: NO!!! Hey, you've never done anything evil to Katt! Kill _her_!! (Points to Katt)

Katt: (Whacks Fox on the back of the head) Shut up, Foxy.

Me: We'll see. Anyhow…

**Chapter 19: (No title, yet) **That's because it's not started. I hope it will be up sooner than two weeks…


	19. Chapter 19: The Attack

**Chapter 19: The Attack**

Krystal groaned slightly and turned on her side, scooting closer to the warmth of Fox, who was sound asleep. The vixen tried to fall back asleep, which was much more difficult than she thought it would be. After a few minutes, she gave up with a sigh and opened her eyes, blinking to adjust her eyes to the unusual amount of light in the room. Although they were in space, the window was facing the sun, which poured light into the room in an odd way.

She looked at Fox, and smiled. She propped herself up on her arm, looking at his calm face. "Good morning…" She whispered, lightly stroking his arm.

"Mm… mmm mm…" He winced slightly, and turned his head to the side. Krystal grinned mischievously, and then she gently kissed the side of his muzzle. "Mmm…" She stifled a laugh as Fox made another groaning noise. She kissed him again, closer to his lips. Fox's nose twitched slightly. Krystal smiled, and then she moved to kiss his nose. Fox was awake, but his eyes were still closed. He tilted his head so that their lips met.

"Good morning…" Krystal said after she'd pulled back.

"Mm… wonderful morning…" Fox mumbled, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her on top of him. "How about you wake me up like that tomorrow too." He suggested. "And the day after…" he added after a moment of thought.

"Aw, you mean you don't like your alarm clock?" Krystal asked playfully.

Fox sleepily opened his eyes and looked at her. "Gee, I dunno… a loud, endless, annoying, migraine inducing blare that scares the living crap out of you when you are either trying to get the little sleep you still can, or are least expecting it to…" He blurted out all in one breath, pausing to take a mouthful of air and sigh. "…or kiss the most beautiful girl in the world… hm… what a hard choice… I'll have to think about it." He said sarcastically, causing Krystal to giggle.

"Let me know when you make up your mind…" Krystal said, and then the alarm clock went off, slightly startling them.

"Um, how about now…" Fox reached over and grabbed the alarm clock, and then he tossed it across the room, crashing it into the wall and shattering it. Krystal laughed. "I choose a kiss over the alarm clock." He said, blushing very lightly.

"A kiss it is…" Krystal said, and then she kissed him. When they broke out of the kiss, Krystal gently rested her head on Fox's shoulder. "Fox, I've been wondering… did you really mean what you said?" She asked.

"What…?" Fox asked, slightly uneasy.

"When we were in your arwing, coming back from Sauria. You… you said that you loved me." She said, pushing herself up to look at him in the eyes. "Did you really mean it?"

Fox blushed hard, looking away from her nervously. _Come on, you coward! Tell her the truth… you know you love her, so tell her… she's not going to sit there waiting for you forever… just tell her!! Come on!!_ Fox bit his lip, trying to gain enough courage to speak.

Right then, the ship gave a tremendous lurch, nearly throwing both vulpines off the bed.

"What was that?!" Krystal asked.

Fox quickly got out of the bed to put on his uniform, relieved for an interruption, but hating himself for not having the nerve to answer her. "I'll go check…" He said, pulling off his shirt. Krystal couldn't help but smile as she admired his muscular build. Fox pulled on his uniform. He gave Krystal a fast kiss before he quickly left the room.

Krystal got up too, nearly falling as the ship lurched again. She stumbled out of the room, nearly falling twice as she hurried to her own. There was a loud crash and several curses when she passed Falco's room, stumbling into the wall as the ship trembled again.

She swiftly got dressed, and then hurried to the bridge, where Fox, Peppy, and Slippy were all huddled around the control board, struggling to keep their balance during the continuous jolts. The ship lurched tremendously, sending all but Rob and Peppy to the ground. (Rob had specialized magnetic feet installed to ensure that he would not fall during things like that, and Peppy was in his chair)

Krystal carefully got to her feet. "What's going on?" She asked.

"It's the Venomians… we're under attack!" Peppy said as he typed in numerous combinations of buttons on the control board. A red light flashed and a beeping noise accompanied it as Falco and Katt ran in. "The shields are failing… Fox, Falco, Katt… get to the arwings and try to hold them off…" Peppy said frantically.

"Got it… come on!" Fox ran toward the docking bay, with Falco and Katt close behind.

"I'm going too." Krystal said, following them.

"Krystal, no. You stay here and help Peppy. It's too dangerous… they take no prisoners." Fox said.

"Which is why you can use an extra hand." Krystal insisted.

"No! Stay here… This is too dangerous for your first mission. It's not like the training grounds. If you get shot down, there's no retry, and no extra chance." Fox said sternly.

"It's not too dangerous for me! I won't have other animals telling me what I can and cannot do. I'm going, and that's that." She said, stumbling against the wall as the ship lurched again.

Fox sighed. "Alright… just don't get hurt. If your ship is damaged too badly, then go straight back. No exceptions." He said.

Krystal nodded. She gave him a quick kiss before climbing into her recently built arwing. All together, they shot out of the docking bay, heading toward the two battleships.

"Hey, they're launching fighters! There's hundreds of them!" Falco said into his comm system.

"Well, I'll be darned… you're right! Thank you for telling us the complete obvious. We couldn't have known without you." Katt said sarcastically. "It's quite obvious we're outnumbered a hundred to one."

"Heh… it hardly seems fair…" Fox said jokingly as he sped towards the growing mass of ships.

"Take this, monkey brain!" Katt shouted as she fired a homing laser at an enemy ship.

"Whoop! It's been _way_ too long since I've kicked some serious butt!" Falco said, shooting down several ships in a row.

"Hey, Falco! Get away from there!" Krystal shouted. Her radar screen showed massive energy build up, directly behind the avian's ship. Falco boosted out of the area mere seconds before a light green energy beam shot out of one of the Venomian cruisers.

"Wholly sh-! What the h- was that?!" The comm system automatically beeped out the curses that had slipped from Falco's mouth.

"They're using plasma beams! I thought those were illegal in Lylat…" Katt said.

"Yeah, but not on Venom." Fox said, wincing as the large energy beam struck the Great Fox, severely damaging one of the wings.

"Watch it guys! That's what we're trying to _prevent_ from happening." Slippy said from the bridge.

"We're doing the best we can, given that they out number us at least a hundred to one." Fox said.

Krystal shot down several of the ships, wincing as they all exploded into flying debris. "Oh… it's so terrible! Ending numerous lives like that…" She said.

"Well, either we kill them, or they kill us _and_ several innocent animals." Fox said.

"Just think of it like a video game. Each time you shoot down a ship, it's a point. If they get one point by shooting either you or your teammate down, you lose. Game over. No reset button, no second chances. Game _over_. So, score all the points you can before you get to the next level, and then you keep going." Falco said.

"You really _are_ sick." Katt said.

"Hey, it helps, right?" The avian retorted.

"It doesn't help me…" Katt replied.

"Me neither…" Krystal said. "In fact, I think it makes it worse."

"Hey, they're all evil. They _deserve _to die. We're just the lucky ones who get paid to do justice." Falco said proudly. "Speaking of which… are we getting paid for this?" Several scoffs came over his comm system.

"Fox, look out!" Krystal said suddenly, blasting a suicidal fighter that had nearly collided with him.

"Whoa… thanks, Krystal." Fox said.

"See, I told ya you could use another ship." She said.

"Okay, I surrender." Fox said while shooting down a few of the ships.

"What!? You mean you weren't gonna let her come? That's the most _ridiculous_ thing I've witnessed in a _very_ long time." Katt said.

Falco scoffed, and then he looked up suddenly as his ship shook from laser fire. "What the… _DIE YOU LITTLE CRAP_!!" He shouted out as he shot down a suicidal fighter that had been shooting lasers while diving at him.

"Besides that…" Katt added.

Krystal laughed. "Now, I have to admit, that was rather interesting…" She said, shooting down a few more ships. She tried hard not to think about the many lives she was ending…

"Oh, you think that's funny or something?" Fox asked aloud, executing a loop to avoid being shot by the small fighter that was chasing him. "Well, what about this?" He asked as he shot several lasers into the ship's engine, exploding it. "Now try to shoot me!"

Krystal scoffed at the continuous shooting that shook her ship. "Oh, no you don't…" She mumbled under her breath, turning sideways to avoid him. The persistent fighter shot her again. Now angry, she put a force field behind her ship. The fighter slammed into it, exploding. Krystal winced as a small portion of her energy was depleted. She created a barrier around one of the ships, causing it to brake sharply. She held it up, waiting for the brakes to run out. They did, and the small fighter exploded harmlessly (except for the pilot) inside of the force field.

Katt sped toward a group of fighters in her pink ship, firing a nova bomb and several plasma lasers before she got too close, ending the lives of the pilots in a brilliant explosion. "Ha! Take that, suckers!!" She yelled.

Krystal pursued one of the fighters that had been shooting at her, boosting to keep up with him as he headed toward one of the main battleships.

"Uh-oh… There's that energy build up again. I think that they're gonna… Krystal! GET OUTTA THERE!! _NOW_!!" Fox yelled, seeing that her ship was directly in the path of the plasma gun. Krystal gasped. She was too close to do anything.

Seconds melted into a slow, agonizing eternity as Fox watched the glow of plasma move toward her ship. _No… this can't happen… _He thought. "_NO_!!" He watched in horror as the light green beam of plasma seemed to slowly engulf her ship. The bright light seemed to last hours, although the entire thing was over within five seconds. Fox watched the spot he'd last seen her ship, his heart skipping a few beats, hoping that somehow she'd made it out.

Krystal shrieked. Her life flashed before her eyes as she watched the beam of plasma come close.

Her brother's disappearance… her mother's death… trying to get over her loss… meeting Connor and Tony… her brother's arrival… her first kiss… meeting Katt… her brother's departure… being stranded on an unknown island… returning to her friends and family… the stolen kiss she gave to Connor… the lightning… her brother's return… the meteor that ruined her village… her father's death, where she obtained her staff… leaving her planet… arriving on Sauria… the death of Tony… being captured at Krazoa Palace… and her rescue, where she met Fox.

Giving up her staff to see him once more, and thank him… how he saved her again on Sauria… their first kiss… returning to the Great Fox… Fox asking her to be his girl… traveling to Corneria… the hotel… the first evening on Corneria, with the beautiful sunset… the first time at the training grounds… the bombing of the power plant… sleeping in Fox's bed for warmth… beating the tests to become a member of the team… and seeing her staff again…

Now, she looked out the window of her arwing, watching the beam of plasma come toward her ship… the plasma beam that would end it all.

And she didn't even get a chance to say goodbye.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Author's Notes: **There's not much to say… this chapter was surprisingly short, although I'll try to make them longer in the future. How I manage to be so cruel to these poor mercenaries, I really don't know…

**Chapter 20: (Sorry, no title yet…) **And yes, that is because I have only written two sentences. I can't say I haven't started it…

I've written the following in a code. It's difficult to decipher, and it's not Saurian, but if you can read two lines at the same time, then you should have no problem, unless you get dizzy from moving your eyes up and down too much… but if you just spell it out, you'll end up with a very long, jumbled word. So you'll have to guess where the spaces go… but basically, just read from the first line, and then the second line, back and forth, one letter at a time.

**Code: **

NwIodotisoyoltkaitrsigunHwvrticifagrs'teunnpitIsaleeenfwhpesatrhsemsinlwoe.hnhjiyattrs.(agsvlyDntoraotrsa,h'luvv.xclhwhmngsoohtyuljshvtwitfnot

o,tlyuhstrwudaenneetntr.oee,hslfhneinthtrigon.thlbhriaecatr,fetinwisobosvrTeteucprsat..Luheil)o'wrybuKytlselsrieEatyoseaaetdta,o'lutaeoatoidu.

Any idea what the name of that code is? Review or PM with the answer to the code if you figure it out...

Um, sry about the code... I screwed up by putting a comma in the wrong place. It's fixed now though, so have at it!


	20. Chapter 20: A New Mission

**Chapter 20: A New Mission**

Fox stared in horror as the plasma beam surrounded Krystal's arwing. No-one moved, and no-one said anything. They all just stared at the seemingly empty void where Krystal's arwing had last been seen as the greenish-white plasma beam continued to flow.

_So that's it… now I just die… I come all this way just to die… _Time seemed to almost stop as Krystal watched the glowing white plasma come toward her ship. _After all I've been through, now I get to die at the hand of these brainless monkeys… What am I thinking!? No… I can't die… I promised my father I'd avenge our planet… But… how am I going to save myself?_

The plasma struck the wing of the arwing, disintegrating it on impact.

Without taking a second to think over her plan, Krystal held out her arms and blocked the plasma with a shield.

_Not this time… I don't go down _that_ easy…_ She began to wonder whether or not she would survive as she felt her energy fading fast. Her shield threatened to break, but she poured all her effort into keeping it up.

She knew she couldn't hold it up much longer as three seconds passed by slowly. _No… I can't die… I have to keep it up… I MUST survive!_ She grunted in effort to keep her shield up.

Her hopes for survival began to slowly fade with her energy.

She knew that in a few seconds her shield would brake, and with the last of her energy, she shoved the force field toward the plasma beam, giving her a split second to spare.

That split second was all she needed to survive as the plasma gun shut off. She sighed in relief and exhaustion, leaning back in her seat.

"Oh my gawd… is she… did…" Katt's voice came over the comm. "Do you think she made it?"

"I'm alright…" Krystal said weakly. "I'm just a bit shaken."

Fox let out the breath he'd been subconsciously holding.

No words came to his mind; he was just so relieved that she was still alive!

For a few seconds, everyone was silent. Especially Krystal, who felt as if she would faint.

"Hey, cut it out, you annoying monkey crap!" Falco interrupted the silence as an enemy shot at him. "Ya know, I hate to break up the silence, but can anyone just kill these idiots?"

Fox looped around and shot the fighter that had been chasing Falco. "There you go…" He said, and then he set a private connection between him and Krystal. "Are you okay? That was amazing…" He said.

Krystal smiled weakly and nodded. "Yeah… I… just used my power at the last second. I didn't even think about it." She said.

Fox sighed as he argued with himself in his mind. "Look, I…" He bit his lip. "Yes…" He said.

"What?" Krystal asked.

Fox blushed. "Um… w-when you asked me earlier… if… I…" He winced slightly, biting his lip again. _You tell her right now! Just tell her before you make an idiot of yourself… You might not have another chance to answer her today… just tell her!_ He sighed again, and closed his eyes for a few seconds. "You asked me earlier if I meant what I said in my arwing… well… I did…" He said, trying not to stutter. "I love you…" He said quietly.

A small tear formed in Krystal's eye as she heard his words. "I love you too…" She said softly. She wished that they'd been back on the ship right then… she would've kissed him.

The moment would've lasted… if the small Venomian fighter hadn't shot Krystal's arwing. "Oh! You little…" Before she knew what she was doing, she created a force field around the small ship and made it shrink until it crushed the ship. It almost shocked her, as she hadn't used her hands, but she now had a slight headache.

"Whoa… that was cool! Just don't overdo it." Fox said, and then he re-opened the multi-signal network, disabling their private connection.

"Hey Falco! Whoever kills the most ships wins!" Katt said, bombing a group of about fifty ships, and killing all but two of them, which she shot down with lasers. "I've got at least one-fifty so far… how about you?" She asked.

"Twenty three…" Falco said in a low voice.

Krystal grinned. "Looks like your losing. I've got forty-seven." She said. The battleship that had shot her earlier was charging up for another shot. Using every ounce of strength she had, she created a shield around the entire ship and shrank it until the ship began to get crushed. The amount of energy used from charging the plasma beamers was unleashed to the fuel tank, which exploded in a brilliant flash.

Krystal could not contain the large explosion; her force field broke. Her energy was nearly depleted anyway, and that was the last straw.

"Whoa! Krystal, are you alright?" Fox asked.

She groaned as her head began to throb. "Now I _really_ overdid it…" She said quietly.

"Krystal, head back to the Great Fox. You can't do much more out here…" Fox said.

"No… I'm okay…" She mumbled, holding her temples.

"That wasn't a request. We can take care of the rest, just head back, okay?" Fox said.

Krystal reluctantly took the controls and began to turn back toward the Great Fox, with slight difficulty as her right wing had been disintegrated by the plasma.

She made it to the docking bay and climbed out of her arwing, trying to see clearly through the painful fog in her head. She sat down against the wall and held her head in her hands, groaning.

"You can't overuse your powers like that… it could kill you!!" A familiar voice said.

Krystal looked up at the blue-eyed animal in front of her, who was wearing his usual cloak. "I didn't have much of a choice out there, did I?" She asked.

"You didn't have to push it by destroying that battleship too." He said.

Krystal sighed. "I wasn't gonna let it hit the ship! It was about to shoot!" She objected.

"It's too late… you already did it. Just be more careful in the future." He said. "I'll say what I came to say… My brother is going to confront you in person, in front of everyone. I don't know how, but he's going to. I'd tell you who he was so that you'll know, but… if I did, you'd side with him." The cloaked vulpine lowered his head sadly as he talked.

"Why would I side with the animal who killed my parents and destroyed my planet?" Krystal asked.

"He didn't kill your mother. He wasn't even old enough to know what the word 'kill' meant. Neither was I. The one who killed your mother is the one you truly need to fear. My brother thinks that he's in control, but he's the one being controlled. Remember Vivian?" He asked.

"Who's Vivian?" Krystal asked.

"The cat with white fur. Haven't you seen her before?"

"Oh, her…" Krystal said, remembering the foul-tempered feline.

"She's being manipulated by one of her family members, and she's influencing T… uh… m-my brother." He caught himself before he'd revealed too much. "She doesn't have full power over him, but she can put ideas into his head that he subconsciously carries out, thinking that he's the one who came up with the idea…"

"Interesting…" Krystal said.

"You still have every reason to fear him… He'll stop at nothing to… Aaahhh!" He yelled out in pain and doubled over, holding his head in his hands. He kneeled down, breathing hard, and still holding his head.

Krystal gasped. "Are you alright?" She asked, standing up.

"I… have to… leave… my power has… reached its limit…" He said weakly. He looked up at her once before he vanished.

That was all it took for Krystal to see his face.

(**Meanwhile, in the space battle…**)

"Ha… Eat this, space hags!" Falco yelled as he shot a nova bomb at the only remaining battleship. The bomb detonated, severely damaging the plasma gun on the front of the large ship. "Whoop! There goes their weapon!" He said.

"Nice… now how about you help us out with the growing amount of fighters over here." Fox said.

"Fox! Five o'clock!" Katt said as she flew by him in pursuit of a fighter.

"What?" He asked, and then laser fire shook his ship.

"Behind you! Slightly to your right." Katt said.

Fox scoffed as he executed a few expert maneuvers to lose the fighter that was shooting at him.

He then pulled up behind it and fired a homing shot, destroying the small enemy ship. "Rrr! Let's end this already!!" He yelled angrily.

"Fox! Falco! Katt! Move clear of the battleship!" Peppy's voice sounded over the comm. The three arwings boosted away from the area at top speed.

The guns on the Great Fox glowed with energy, and then two long, yellow streaks emitted from the guns, destroying the battleship and any thing in between.

"Woohoo!" Katt shouted.

"Alright, Peppy!" Fox said happily as the remaining ships scattered into space, helpless without their battleship. The three arwings streaked across space and entered the docking bay, where Krystal was waiting for them.

"You did it!" She shouted happily. Katt and Falco hopped down from their arwings and all shouted happily. When Fox got out of his arwing, Krystal hugged him tightly, and then she kissed him passionately.

Falco stared with raised eyebrows, and Katt had an 'aw, how cute!' look on her face.

The couple broke away, slightly embarrassed.

"Will the Starfox team please report to the bridge?" Peppy's voice echoed over the comm.

The four mercenaries walked to the bridge.

"Great, what now?" Falco said sarcastically, and then he wished that for once he'd kept his mouth shut.

General Pepper's face was displayed on the holographic projector.

"Starfox Team, I'm afraid I have some bad news… Oikonny has taken control of the remnants of Andross' army. They have attacked the Climate Control center on Fichina." He said.

"Oh, great… that's all we need." Falco mumbled. Fox shot him a warning glare.

"The few guards stationed on the outside were taken by surprise. Only one survived long enough to warn the occupants on the inside of the base. The current condition is unknown as far as how many have survived. The Cornerian Defense Fleet is on its way; however, we fear they may be too late. As you are closer, if at all possible, we need you to…"

"Find out if anyone survived and hold off Oikonny until the army gets there." Fox finished for him.

"Yes… I, personally, shall make sure that you are paid sufficiently for your efforts. Contact me when you arrive. Pepper, out!" And the transmission was ended.

"You heard the General… let's go." Fox said.

"How much do you wanna bet that those guys we just beat were reinforcements for our old monkey pal?" Falco asked.

"Not much, considering we don't know that for sure. Peppy, how much damage have we taken?" Fox asked.

"The wings took the most impact, but we'll manage." The rabbit replied. "Rob, set course for Fichina."

"Affirmative. We will arrive at Fichina in approximately eighteen minutes and forty-two seconds." The robot said in his monotone voice as he punched in different buttons on the control board.

"I'm gonna go freshen up…" Katt said, walking off the bridge. Falco shrugged, and then he headed for his room.

"Krystal, this is your first real mission… you ready?" Fox asked.

She grinned. "I'd be more ready if I had my uniform on…" She said, glancing down at her jeans and tank top.

"True. You'd better get it on… Fichina is no place to wear tank tops." He said. Krystal nodded and headed for her room.

Slippy went to see how much damage was done to the back of the ship, and Peppy decided to assist him, leaving Fox alone with Rob.

Falco walked back onto the bridge a few moments later. "So…?" He said to Fox in a teasing tone.

"What?" Fox asked, looking slightly puzzled.

"Don't ask 'what'… you know what I mean." Falco said.

"Falco… If I knew what you meant, I would tell you." Fox said.

"Don't play dumb… how'd it go?" Falco asked.

"What?" Fox asked, becoming more and more confused.

"She went into your room last night, but she didn't come out until this morning." Falco said with a smirk.

"Uh… your point?" Fox asked, feeling a bit uneasy.

"How'd it go?" Falco asked.

"Does this have anything to do with the fact that we kissed in the docking bay?" Fox asked.

"Just a bit…" Falco said. "The point is, did you or did you not sleep with her?"

"_What_!?" Fox's eyes widened. "No! Nononono NO! Absolutely _not_!" He blurted out quickly.

Falco laughed. "Ri-ight." He said teasingly. "We'll see in nine months…" He said with a smirk.

Fox was about to say something back, but he stopped himself. Then he smirked. "What about your night with Katt?" He asked. _That'll get him… I hope…_

Falco's smirk vanished faster than he could blink. "Wha… H-how did… how did you know about that?" He asked fearfully.

"You told me." Fox said, grinning.

"When?" Falco snapped.

"Just now." Fox said, trying not to laugh.

"Ahg!" Falco threw his hands into the air in frustration. "I'm gonna get you for that…" He threatened through clenched teeth, pointing at Fox, who was trying not to laugh.

Krystal walked onto the bridge in her uniform, her staff in her hand, just as Fox started laughing. She smiled. "What's so funny?" She asked. Her question went ignored.

"Look, I didn't really do it… I swear! Look, I'll prove it to you!" Falco said.

Katt walked onto the bridge, passing by Falco to get to her seat. Falco reached over and pinched her butt. Katt shrieked. "You little…" She made a fist and pulled her arm back. Falco closed his eyes and winced, bracing himself for the pain…

WHAM!! Katt slammed her fist into his face, sending him to the ground with a grunt.

"I hate it when she does that…" He groaned, slowly getting up. Katt glared at him before walking to her chair and sitting down. "See, now if that had really happened, she wouldn't have done that." Falco said.

"Or she's just covering for herself." Fox said. Falco glared.

"Um… Exactly what is going on here?" Krystal asked.

Fox grinned. "A little thing between Katt and Falco… I don't think we should bring it up again. Unless something happens in nine…" He cut himself off as Falco raised his fist. He flinched, knowing he was about to get hit…

"AAAHHH!!!" Falco yelled in pain as his fist plowed into the force field that Krystal had quickly put up. He cursed loudly, holding his right hand. Fox and Krystal started laughing.

"We have arrived at Fichina." Rob said in his monotone voice. Peppy and Slippy walked in at his announcement.

"Hey, Krystal… I fixed your ship's wing for you." Slippy said.

"Thanks, Slippy." She replied.

"Dial the number for General Pepper." Fox said. Rob typed in a code, and the General's Face appeared on the holographic projector. "We've made it here." Fox said.

"Very good. The CDF is on its way; they should be here shortly. Good luck, Starfox." The general said.

Fox nodded and ended the transmission. "Peppy, you and Rob stay here. Everyone else, let's go." He said, turning toward the docking bay.

They grabbed their backpacks and loaded them full of weapons, and then climbed into their separate arwings.

All at once, they shot out into space.

"When we get to the planet, we'll land a good distance away from the Climate Control center and head in on foot." Fox said.

They set the arwings on auto-pilot as they cruised toward the planet.

Krystal sighed.

_I wonder if it's really him… He should've died long ago, but… I saw him… unless I'm just going crazy_._ I could've sworn it was him, even though I only saw him for a split second… It might only be a coincidence… maybe he doesn't look like him at all really, and he only looked like him from that angle… But, there's hope that he's alive… it's possible that he survived… I hate to think that his brother killed my father… or maybe they had another brother… an older one… Maybe I didn't see him at all, and it was his brother… after all, I watched him die… how could he come back to life?_ She thought about the face she'd seen inside of the cloak.

"Hey… you seem very distracted. You okay?" Fox's voice jolted her out of her thoughts.

"Hm? Oh… yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking." She said, looking at the hologram in front of her.

"Be careful down there… it gets dangerous. Keep your wrist comm on at all times." He said.

Krystal nodded. "I'll be fine… you're the one who needs to be careful. I have a great advantage. Telepathy and force fields. No-one else does." She said.

Fox chuckled. "Yeah… well, still…" He said. "Be careful if you go on the river. It may be frozen, but there are thin spots where you could easily fall in. You could also use them for your advantage, though, if an enemy runs over one. If a whole bunch of guys chase you over one of those, they'll all fall in." He said, grinning.

Krystal giggled.

"We're entering the atmosphere in a few seconds… hold on…" He said, switching to manual and pressing a few buttons. "Switch back to manual." He said. Krystal nodded and hit a few buttons.

"Fox, the controls are jammed… I can't turn." She said, trying to move the control stick.

"Slippy must have forgotten to unlock it… there's a safety lock on the bottom of the control stick. See if you can find it." He said.

Krystal looked down at her controls. "Um… there's two buttons… They look exactly alike." She said, looking at them.

"Uh… one's the safety lock, and the other one's the emergency eject." Fox said.

"Okay, which one's which?" Krystal asked as they began to enter the atmosphere.

"The… oh, sh-…" Fox looked at the two buttons on his arwing. "Um… I think the one on the right…" He said.

"You _think_?" Krystal asked. "That's reassuring…"

"It's gotta be the one on the right. Unless it's the one on the left…" He said.

"I'm just gonna hit one… I can't land if I can't turn." She said.

"Yeah, but if you hit the emergency eject, you'll go flying alright… and there'll be no trouble landing on the ground." He said.

"Great… okay… I'll hit this one…" She closed her eyes and pressed one of the buttons. "Nothing's happening… I'm still here!" She said, and then she touched the control stick. The ship responded by turning slightly. "Whoop! I did it!" She said happily.

"Which one was it?" Fox asked.

"Um… I don't know… I just hit one at random…" She said. Fox laughed.

"Okay… follow me over to that big ice patch. We'll land on the edge." He said.

"The edge of the ice?" Krystal asked.

"No… on the snow." Fox said.

"Ah… Do Katt and Falco know that?" Krystal asked.

"No… I'd better tell them." Fox opened all of his channels.

"…idn't do anything! You're the one who started the whole thing!" Katt was obviously yelling at Falco.

"I am not! And you didn't have to punch me earlier! That hurt!" He yelled back.

"Yeah, maybe I wouldn't have… If you weren't so immature!!" Katt screamed.

"I hate to break up this lovely conversation, but we're landing in about thirty seconds." Fox said.

"Uh… how much did you hear?" Katt asked, realizing that Fox and Krystal were now listening in.

"Um… someone didn't do anything, Falco started the whole thing, you didn't have to punch him, but you did because he's immature." Krystal said.

"Oh… well, it's true. He is immature." Katt said. All the while, Slippy had been watching their conversation, not listening to a word they were saying, as he'd muted the comm system.

"Shut up, kitty-Katt." Falco said. "You're just an immature kitten."

Katt was ready to explode. "Oh, no you don't… You feather-stuffed fumbling bumbled-up bird-brain!" She snapped.

Now Falco was angry. "Guys! Cut it out." Fox said before the avian could think up a good enough comeback. "We're landing at the edge of the frozen lake. Not on the ice!" He said.

"Alright…" Falco said, scowling at Katt. They flew toward the ice, preparing to land.

Fox climbed out of his arwing at the same time as the rest of the team. Slippy got his foot caught of the edge and tumbled down, hitting first the wing, then the ground.

"Slippy, be more careful." Fox said.

The frog quickly got to his feet.

"Come on… let's head to the control center. Krystal, if you sense anything, let us know. We don't want to alert them of our presence." Fox said.

Krystal nodded. All together, they set out for the Climate Control Center.

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**Author's Notes:** Anyway, this new mission they have won't take too long, and I have a purpose for it, but it won't be explained until later in the story. I promise that this is the last cliffhanger where Krystal is in danger. Remember to smack me if I do it again...

**Chapter 21: (Nope… I don't have a title for this one either…) **Um… I guess I'm running out of excuses for having no titles… I'm thinking of calling it 'Fichina', or 'Trouble on Fichina', or something like that, but I don't have a specific title picked out yet. So, you'll just have to wait. I _have_ started this chapter. I've actually written the _middle _of it, oddly enough, so now I just need to write the beginning and the end. It shouldn't take that long…

**Btw**… I challenge you to read my bio-thing and actually do one or more of the insane things written there under 'You know you're addicted to Starfox if…' Let me know how it turns out… (Grins evilly)

**The code:** Congratulations to Lil'Gstryker for deciphering most of the code! It's actually pretty easy, if you know how to do it. Take the first letter from the top line, then go to the first letter in the bottom line, to the second letter in the top line, to the second letter in the bottom line, and so on, to see what gets spelled out. It _is_ English, you know… The code I wrote on the last chapter had one mistake… a misplaced comma, after the 'L' in Krystal's name, but now it's fixed.

**Reviews** **are** **always** **nice**… The more you review, the more I write, as reviews inspire me to finish my chapters instead of lounging around playing some videogame I've already beat at least fifty times and have memorized backwards and forwards and upside down… blah, blah, blah… You get the idea, right?


	21. Chapter 21: Trouble On Fichina

**Chapter 21: Trouble On Fichina**

"Fox… there's another one behind that rock formation…" Krystal whispered. Fox nodded, readying his blaster.

"Got it…" He whispered back as he slowly crept up to the rock. Krystal had sensed several guards, all which Fox had snuck up and taken out. Katt, Falco, and Slippy had gone around the opposite side of the large ice lake that they'd come upon. As Fox was about to leap from behind the rock and blast the guard to smithereens, a charged blast shot out from it, almost hitting his arm. He stuck the blaster around the rock and fired repeatedly without looking to see what he was shooting.

When he did look, there was a mangled monkey lying on the ground with several laser holes in his body… Fox winced, and then the two vulpines continued walking.

"Something's not right…" Krystal said in a low voice. "There's one way over there, but I think… look out!" She gasped suddenly and put up a shield in front of them, barely a split second before a sniper bullet struck it.

"Hold it for a second…" Fox took out his sniper rifle and aimed. "Hold on… put it down!" He said. Krystal let down the shield and Fox fired a shot, killing the monkey with the sniper. "Got him." He said.

"Fox, Katt and Falco are in trouble… They've run into… twelve… no, thirteen guards. Over there!" She said, pointing across the ice lake. As if on cue, a shout echoed across the snowy plain, followed by Katt's scream. Krystal winced. "They've shot Falco!" She exclaimed.

Fox readied his sniper rifle and fired at one of the guards, but he missed. "We're too far away… come on!" He grabbed her wrist and ran around the edge of the lake. Though they ran as fast as they could, getting around the large frozen lake seemed to take forever. Fox stopped and took another shot, and this time it hit its target. Then they kept running. Finally they came within blaster range. Krystal snuck up to one of the crystal rock formations and peered around it.

Falco lie on the ground, holding his side, where a puddle of blood had formed. Katt and Slippy were standing solemnly with their hands up, with two guards pointing guns at them. The other ten were discussing what to do with them. Katt and Slippy were facing Krystal, and Katt spotted her. The feline's eyes widened. Krystal drew her finger to her lips in a 'be quiet' sign.

Katt slowly nodded.

Fox took his gatling gun and carefully crept closer to the group of conversing guards. Krystal readied her blaster. Fox leapt out from the rock and unleashed several bullets on the unsuspecting guards at the same time Krystal shot the two who were watching Katt and Slippy.

"It's about time, you guys!" Katt said.

"Yeah… were you just gonna wait until I bled to death, or what?" Falco asked, trying not to show the intense pain he was in.

Fox rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you're welcome." He said sarcastically. "Katt, you get Falco back to the Great Fox. Slippy, come with us."

"Great. Thanks for blowing it, bird brain." Katt snapped as she kneeled to help him up. Falco grabbed a handful of snow and plopped it down Katt's shirt, causing a shriek from the startled feline.

She grabbed her gun and gently jabbed Falco's stomach, causing him to yell out.

"Stop it! Do you want to alert the rest of them?" Fox asked in a hushed, but agitated voice. Katt shook her head and proceeded to help Falco up. Together, they slowly made their way back toward the arwings. "Okay, let's keep going. And try not to draw any more attention than we have to." Fox said. "When we get close…" He cut himself off as it began to snow. "What the…"

The snow had suddenly come from seemingly nowhere, and was very thick and heavy. A light, chilling wind accompanied it.

"Great… I hope they haven't found us out… Oh, well. The snow can act as our cover. They can't see us as well, but we can't see them as well either. Krystal, I need you to stay alert for anything that is alive or harmful." Fox said.

Krystal nodded. "I'll do my best." She said. "There isn't much out here, so sensing someone shouldn't be too hard."

"Slippy, keep your eye out for anyone who might be following us. I'll be watching out for traps and thin ice." Fox said. They continued to walk slowly toward the Climate Control Center, squinting in the heavy snowfall.

"Fox… there's… there's someone over there, I think. I can sense that he's there, but I can't figure out exactly where he is…" Krystal said, pointing to her right. Fox nodded, readying his sniper rifle. "Shoot… he's blocking me. He must be a telepath. He knows we're here. Sorry, Fox, I think I blew it." Krystal said.

"Blasted… alright, I'll try to find him. Make sure he doesn't alert anyone to come over here." Fox aimed the rifle, carefully scanning every inch of space where Krystal had pointed. "Gotcha… Whoa!" Fox jumped to the side just fast enough to avoid being struck by a sniper bullet. "He's found us… get behind that rock!" Fox said, pointing to another of the many colorful formations. Slippy and Krystal darted behind the rock, and Krystal made a shield in front of Fox.

Again he aimed for the guard. "Okay, put down the shield." Fox said. Krystal did so, and he fired. Unfortunately, so did the guard… "Ahg!" Fox grabbed his right arm, where the sniper's laser had sliced him.

"Fox! Are you alright?" Krystal asked.

"Yeah… It just scraped my arm." He replied. Krystal took a bandage out of her backpack.

"Here…" She said.

"It's fine, I just…" Fox began to protest.

"Fox, what would happen if you left a trail of blood in the snow? Footprints are one thing, and they get covered up by the snowfall. But anyone can smell blood. Just let me wrap it so that they don't find out we're here." Krystal said.

Fox sighed in defeat. He almost reluctantly let her put a bandage on his arm.

"There. Now let's go." She said. They continued on through the snow, which was falling much harder. The wind was chilling them to the bone, even through their uniforms.

And the moisture from the snow wasn't helping in the least.

Krystal crossed her arms and covered her hands from the severe iciness of the blizzard. Slippy looked as if he might crawl into a hole and hibernate for a year. Fox was cold, but he kept trudging on, staying close to Krystal. Slippy slowly began to lag behind.

"Come on, Slippy! The sooner we get there, the sooner we can defrost…" Fox said.

"I-I-I'm s-so c-c-cold!" Slippy stuttered. Krystal stopped for a minute, waiting for him to catch up. She knew that he must have been at least twice as cold as her, as he didn't have fur.

"Come on, Slippy…" She said, placing her hand on his back. Fox waited for them, and he walked on the other side of the frog. After what seemed to be an eternity of wandering in the cold, they finally spotted the Climate Control Center. Amazingly, as soon as they got near, the blizzard stopped. It was as if there was an invisible wall around the control center that the blizzard couldn't penetrate.

Several troops stood idly around the center, watching for intruders. Lucky for Starfox, they'd entered the area behind one of the bridges, where they weren't seen. Fox took out his sniper rifle and picked off a few of the stray guards.

To his dismay, he ran out of bullets.

"Perfect." He muttered sarcastically. "Okay, we need to think of a plan. We need a distraction, or diversion, so that we can see what's going on." Fox said. Slippy was shivering violently from the cold.

"C-c-count m-me out of t-the d-d-div-version…" He stuttered.

"Fox, you know what to do when you get inside. I'll distract them for you." Krystal said.

"Krystal, no. How are you going to defeat them all?" Fox asked.

Krystal smiled. "My feminine charm." She said with a childish grin.

"You're kidding, right?" Fox asked.

"What, you don't think I can do it?" She asked.

"I'd like to see you try…" Fox said sarcastically.

"Alright then. I distract them, and you get inside." She said.

Fox sighed. "Just don't do anything too outrageous." He said. Krystal kissed his cheek.

"Don't worry. I'll save one for you to kill too…" She teased. Fox gave her a quick kiss before he snuck around the large bank.

Krystal slowly walked toward the base, putting on her most innocent look. _As long as they don't take out their guns, I should be fine…_ She thought.

"Hey, look! It's an intruder!" One of the guards shouted, pointing to her.

_Please don't shoot… please don't shoot!_ Krystal smiled innocently. "Excuse me, sir! Is this the residence of Kevin Maxwell?" She asked in her 'I'm just a cute, clueless, innocent girl' voice, in a very good Cornerian accent.

"Kevin _who_?" The guard asked, walking over to her. She hid her fear as she saw the one next to him raise his gun. "Hold you fire…" He said over his shoulder. Apparently this guard was one of the higher officials.

"Kevin Maxwell. He's my cousin. I was coming to visit, but I couldn't remember his address. He said he lived in… I think he said Fortuna?" She said.

"Lady, this is Fichina. You've got the wrong _planet_!" He said.

"Aw… How sad. It was his birthday. Hey, what are you guys doing here?" She asked innocently.

"We're guarding the Climate Control Center on official orders from Andrew Oikonny to protect his Secret Weapon, so that when it's ready, he can use the external plasma-based heating lasers to disintegrate Corneria, his least favorite planet, in revenge for Fox McCloud killing his uncle, Andross." The guard blurted out, and then he realized that he'd just blabbed the one thing he wasn't supposed to let anyone in existence know.

Krystal sensed this, and continued playing dumb. She kept a blank look on her face. The she smiled broadly. "Secrets?" She gasped. "I _love_ secrets!" She said in a happy voice. "My friend Tiffany tells me secrets all the time!" She said, still keeping the clueless grin on her face. _Oh my gawd! You are such and idiot! I think you're a worthless piece of crap! Isn't that great?_ She thought to herself, imagining her voice talking to him in her 'Rich Cornerian Spoiled Brat' voice.

"You know, I wasn't supposed to tell you that…" The guard said.

Krystal nodded. "Oh, don't worry. I can keep a secret. Like the time when Tiffany stole three thousand dollars from her dad's bank account to go on a shopping spree. I never told a soul." She said, keeping an 'I'm so dumb that I have no clue that you're on a top secret mission that I'm not supposed to know about' kind of attitude. She gasped. "Oh no! I just told you, didn't I? Well, don't tell _anyone_. If word gets around to Tiffany's father, he'll ground her for a whole _week_! I'd hate to feel responsible for grounding my best friend." She said.

"Yeah… look, you're a nice girl, but if you're caught here, my boss will kill you. You've got to get out of here. I'd hate to have something bad happen to you." The guard said.

"But it's so cold over there. I can't stand the cold. Besides… you're kinda cute!" Krystal said, pretending to flirt with him. The guard blushed. _Actually, I think you're the ugliest thing that ever roamed the universe! My secret…_

"Well… um… I… uh… I guess you could stay for a _little_ bit…" The guard said.

"By the way, what's your name?" Krystal asked, giving him a flirtatious look. _Fox, you owe me BIG time for this…_

"Uhhhh… um… C-Cameron…" The guard stammered.

"I'm Kristy." Krystal said. _Kristy? That's the best name I could think up for myself?! Oh… Fox, you'd better hurry…_

(**Inside the base**)

"Hurry up with that! Make sure the radar system is put into a proper position!" Andrew Oikonny shouted. "I want to know the location of the girl, immediately!" He pointed to a hologram, which portrayed a picture of Krystal. "We need to get the girl. Once I have Fox's heart, I will have him under my control. Then we can carry out P. D.C." He said.

"Y-yes, sir! T-the final procedure is almost ready. W-we'll take the first scan of the planet in… three m-minutes." The terrified cat who worked at the C.C.C. said, trembling slightly as he continued to fix the radar.

"If my estimations are correct, that dim-witted old hound will have Fox and his team over here faster than anyone else. Then, all we have to do is lure them into my trap…" The ape said, half to himself.

"Sir! Our short range sensors have picked up the presence of the Starfox Team." Another of the animals assigned to manage the Control Center walked up to Oikonny, trying his best to hide his fear.

"Where is the girl?" Oikonny demanded.

"Sir… she's… according to this, she's right outside." The confused squirrel said, looking up in fear as Oikonny let out an evil laugh.

"What are we waiting for? Bring her in!"

(**Meanwhile, right outside the entrance…**)

"Slippy, gimme the mine…" Fox whispered.

Slippy nodded, taking a mine out of his backpack.

"But won't the explosion alert them?" Slippy asked.

"That's the point. We draw them over to this door, sneak around the top, and waltz right in the other entrance." Fox said.

"Oh… I hope this works out alright…"

(**Back to Krystal…**)

"I _know_! Isn't that insane?" Krystal asked. She was sitting in a circle with several of the guards, all who were watching her intently. "One time, when I was at Tiffany's house, this guy came by, and he had this big box of…" She stopped as the ape named Cameron held up his hand, listening intently to his head set.

"What?" He asked. Faint murmurs erupted from the headset. "Where?" More murmuring. "No… I haven't seen her."

Krystal immediately knew that she was in a very bad situation, having left her weapons in her backpack, which was lying in the snow where she and Fox had split up. She sensed exactly what was now going on. They wanted _her_, not Fox. And she was in one of her most vulnerable situations, with no weapons, surrounded by her enemies.

"Look, if I see anything suspicious, I'll let you know." Cameron said. "Sorry, my boss was yelling at me. He said that he wants me to let him know if I see that Krystal girl from the Starfox team."

That confirmed her suspicions. She was in danger, and she needed to get out of there. _Now_.

"I saw them! Does your boss want an autograph?" She asked. _I'll give you a signed autograph with my new blaster! How's that sound, you brainless fruitcake?_

"Um… yeah, something like that." He replied.

"They were over… um… there, I think…" She pointed out into the blizzard.

"Wait a minute…" Cameron said, eyeing her suspiciously. "They said she was a blue fox, much like yourself…"

Krystal scoffed. "I'm not a fox! I'm a cat. My grandmother had a bit of fox in her, but I'm mostly cat. My tail is the only thing fox-like about me." She said.

"We're taking you in. Come on." He said.

_Oh crap! I am in BIG trouble this time…_ Krystal struggled to keep her composure. "I don't wanna go in there. It looks weird. And my daddy always told me not to trust guys who I don't know that well. I'm gonna call him and ask his permission. Is that okay?" She asked. _Please work… oh please oh please oh please…_

"Look, if you're not Krystal, then you can go. We just need to prove your identity." Cameron said.

"I left my wallet in my purse. And I left my purse in my ship… Can I get it? I'll come right back, okay?" She asked innocently.

"No. Come on!" Cameron grabbed her wrist and began to pull her toward the door. Krystal began to think of a way out as he dragged her out of the sight of the other guards.

"No! I don't wanna go! Don't touch me, you pervert!" Krystal shouted, wrenching her arm free. Cameron pulled out his gun.

"Unless you never want to see the light of day again, I suggest you come with me." He said sternly.

Krystal's face became fearful, and she looked like she would cry. "I hate guns… guns killed my mommy when I was young… I'm afraid of them! Please don't kill me!" She cried in a whinny voice, forcing herself to start crying.

Cameron's expression softened. "Look, don't cry. I didn't mean to scare you, I just need you to come with me, okay?" He asked.

"In your dreams, asshole!" Krystal yelled, kicking him as hard as she could in his crotch.

"YEEEAAAAAHHG!" Cameron doubled over in pain, dropping his gun. Krystal grabbed it and aimed it at him.

"It's a shame… you had the potential to be such a nice guy." She pulled the trigger, turning away as a laser erupted from the barrel of the gun.

"Put that down or you're gonna get hurt." A deep voice bellowed. Krystal froze as she felt something cold and hard press against her back. She winced as she slowly raised her hands in defeat. "Drop the gun." The voice said. Krystal did so. "Now, come on!" The guard was quite strong, and he grabbed her arm roughly and began to pull her toward the entrance, keeping the gun toward her head. "One false move and I blow your head off." He said.

_How could I let my guard down? I should've sensed this guy from a mile away… I'm a lame excuse for a telepath…_ She scolded herself as the guard led her around the wide control center. As he neared the door, Krystal's senses told her not to go any closer.

She stopped, digging her heels into the ground. "No! I'm not going any closer to that." She said.

"Come on, nothing's gonna hurt you… yet." The deep voiced guard said.

"Fine. You go first." She said.

The guard turned to face her, keeping his gun aimed at her as he backed up. "See, nothing's gonna…" _BOOM_!! The mine that Fox had set by the entrance exploded, killing the guard. Krystal swiftly put a shield around herself, protecting her from the explosion. Several guards came running to the spot, and Krystal bolted away.

"Get her!!" Oikonny shouted.

Fox, who was on top of the Climate Control Center, looked up to see Krystal running from the guards that the explosion had attracted. One raised his gun and fired, aiming for her. He watched in shock as Krystal screamed and fell to the ground, clutching her right leg. "No…" He mumbled, running to the edge. He took three grenades from his backpack, set the timer on all of them, and rolled them off the edge.

"What the… GRENADES!! _TAKE COVER_!!" One guard shouted, running away.

The other guards took a few seconds to let the words begin to register into their brains, as they weren't very bright. Then, before they could react, the three grenades detonated, killing one group of guards. Fox took his machine gun and blasted as many of the apes as he could.

"Drop it!" A voice shouted from behind him. Fox turned and looked in surprise at the ape who was pointing a gun at his face.

"Drop what?" Fox asked, thinking of a plan.

"Don't play dumb. The gun! Drop the gun!" The ape snapped.

"This gun?" Fox asked, pretending to just be holding it, when he was really aiming.

"Yeah, that gun." The guard snapped. Fox pulled the trigger, sending several lasers into the apes face. The guard reeled backward, crying out in pain.

"Sorry, my bad…" Fox said, turning back to shoot the remaining guards. He gasped as he looked over at Krystal, who lay motionless in the snow, with blood around her. He stared at her in alarm, wondering if she had been severely wounded. A laser skimmed past his face… they'd spotted him. Fox shot the ape who'd attempted to shoot him, and then he glanced back at Krystal.

One of the apes kneeled down by her to see if she was alive. All at once, Krystal grabbed his collar and slammed her fist into his face once… twice… three times, and then the guard passed out. The vixen grabbed his gun, making sure it was ready to fire before returning to her relaxed position, pretending to be dead. Fox grinned.

His grin faded as Oikonny walked out of the control center. He aimed his blaster and shot the ape, but to his surprise, his shot did nothing to the ape. Oikonny stormed over to Krystal, and before she could shoot him, he kicked her wrist, causing her to drop the gun, and then he grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet.

"You're coming with me!" He snapped, jerking her toward the entrance. Fox leaned down to get a shot, but the ape had already made it safely into the control center.

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**Author's Notes:** This chapter was short, considering the amount of time it took to post it… I hope you liked it. I will fix the title thing at the top. Chapter 20 had Chapter 21's name on it; oops. Next chapter will be up ASAP!

**Chapter 22: (Can you guess what's coming? You've got it… **_**No title!**_Yep. How _unpredictable_, huh?_ Yeah right_!! Ha-ha… Anyway, you'll see what happens when Oikonny captures Krystal. It will be one of those 'girl gets captured, and captor threatens boy with her life', but with an interesting twist for an ending. You'll have to read it in order to know what that ending is…

I _must_ get this part finished! I have the most _evil_ and _genius _idea… Don't worry; no-one dies… in the _beginning_ of it, hehe… But, I can assure you, it will be the _very_ last thing that you were expecting… MUAHAHAHAHA!! Ahem…

**Reviews**! I _love_ reviews… review please!

**The Starfox List: **What did you think of that list labeled 'You know you're addicted to Starfox if…' on my bio? Did you actually do any of the (insane) things? Do you have any other (crazy) ideas related to the list? Let me know! Tell me if you had fun. (Unless you've gone to jail or the mental hospital…) Any-who, just tell me if you actually read it, what you did, what happened afterwards, and if you've got another outrageous idea for me to add… blah, blah, blah, and so-on and so-forth. You get the picture… (right?)

**Btw**, I didn't make up that list; I read it somewhere else and thought it was funny. I forgot where… So, if the actual writer of it does read it and happens to get really mad at me, _**THIS IS MY DISCLAIMER.**_ All I did was proof-read and remove as many typos as I could. An additional disclaimer will be added to my bio, um… well, whenever I get the chance, I guess…

**Long author's note this time… I guess I rambled, huh.**


	22. Chapter 22: The Battle

**Chapter 22: The Battle**

Fox scoffed, seeing that he was only a split-second away from blowing Oikonny's head right off his shoulders.

"Hey! Cut it out! Leave me alone!" Slippy cried from where he was fighting one of the monkey guards.

Without even bothering to turn around, Fox aimed the blaster behind him and fired. When he looked, Slippy was struggling to get out from underneath the now dead ape. Fox chuckled, getting up to go help him.

"C'mon, Slip. You've gotta be able to get outta _that_. We've got to finish off Oikonny. He's got Krystal." He said, becoming serious.

Slippy disregarded his bruised ego when he heard that. "What's the plan?" He asked.

"Well… we've got two choices. We wait until the C.D.F. gets here and let them screw it up and maybe even get her killed, or we sneak in ourselves and see what they're planning." Fox replied. "I choose the second choice. What about you?" He asked.

"Um… the second one?" Slippy said, becoming slightly uneasy.

"Good choice." Fox said. "Let's go." Then he headed around the top of the base, jumping down at one of the entrances. Slippy jumped off after him.

The mine that Fox had previously set up had disabled the shields on the entrance, so they quietly crept along the passageway. Seeing one of the apes, Fox raised his blaster and shot it before it saw him. He unnoticeably picked off a few more of them. One of the apes grabbed hold of one of the scientists, lifted him off the ground, and shook him fiercely by his collar.

The scientist was absolutely dumbfounded when the ape dropped him and fell over dead in his tracks.

He just gawked for a few seconds, hoping that the ugly ape really was dead. Fox gasped as he saw Krystal and Oikonny fighting. She kicked him in his ribs, and then raised her fist to punch him, but two guards rushed over and grabbed her. She stomped on the toe of one of them, causing him to let her go, yelling out in pain. The other twisted her arm behind her back, drawing a cry of agony from the vixen.

Oikonny grabbed his gun and aimed it at her forehead. "You behave, or I'll make sure you never see Fox again." He snapped.

Krystal grimaced in pain as the guard holding her tightened his grip on her arm, which she felt would twist right off at any second. "Let… me… go…" She said in a weak voice, trying to see through the pain.

"Are you trying to break her arm? If you kill her, we have no power! Let her go." Oikonny said, but he kept the gun aimed at her.

The guard released his grip on her arm, and Krystal rubbed her aching shoulder.

"If you're thinking of escaping, think again! I can blow your head off at any given second." Oikonny threatened.

"You just said that if you kill me, you'll have no power. So no, you can't blow my head off at any second." Krystal said with anger in her voice. Suddenly, the guard who had twisted Krystal's arm fell over.

"What are you doing, you fool!? Get up!" Oikonny snapped. The guard didn't move. The one who Krystal had stepped on also fell over. A small pool of blood formed around his back. Oikonny looked at him, and then he looked over at the entrance and saw Fox.

"Get him!!" He shouted, pointing to the vulpine. He aimed his gun to shoot, but Krystal made a small barrier at the tip of his gun, causing it to blow up in Oikonny's hands. She turned and ran for the exit as the soldiers began to panic and run for their guns, most of them being shot by Fox. Oikonny lunged for Krystal and grabbed her left arm; the one that had been twisted. He roughly jerked her arm back into its twisted position and put his gun to her head. She let out a cry of pain.

"AAAHHH!!! No, let go!! Let me go!!" She called out in pain. A look of fear came to Fox's face. He looked out of the passage and saw Oikonny come around the corner with Krystal in front of him, and his gun aimed toward her head.

"Give up, Starfox, or the girl dies!" He threatened.

"Krystal… No!" Fox said. He peeked out and shot three soldiers in a charged shot, and then shot more with regular shots. In his anger, Oikonny shoved Krystal away from him. She almost lost her balance, and then she ran for the way out.

Oikonny saw her, and he yelled out, "Stop her!"

Krystal ran out the exit, narrowly dodging a few lasers. One guard ran out after her, but he was met with a punch to the jaw that knocked him out cold. Krystal took his gun and began firing away at the guards.

A whirring sound from behind her caused the vixen to become slightly alarmed. When she turned around, a small transport ship landed, and several apes came out the door, rather confused, but they began firing at her.

It was by a fortunate chance that their aim wasn't very good. Krystal ran back into the passage. Fox had made his way into the base, and over to the other passage while Slippy diverted the apes' attention.

"Fox!" Krystal said, running up to him. "We've got more company. A whole transport of backup for Oikonny just la-…. Aaahhh!" She didn't need to finish her sentence. Lasers skimmed past the vulpines from both sides.

"Where's the stupid C.D.F.? They should've been here by now!!" Fox shouted as he fired into the base. Krystal fired in the opposite direction, using her force fields as cover.

"Hey, dummies! Pick on someone your own size!!" Katt, who had made it to the Great Fox with Falco and come back, shouted from outside, firing away with a machine gun. Several soldiers from the Cornerian Defense Fleet were with her. The apes quickly forgot about Fox and Krystal, turning to fight back. Katt ran into the passage. "Hey, did ya miss me?" She asked, putting her gun down for a few seconds.

"It's about time! We were getting our tails kicked by these amateurs!" Fox said, shooting into the base.

Katt stepped up next to him. "Hey, don't blame me! It's not my fault they took so fricken long getting here. I would've been here sooner if it wasn't for bird brain." She fired away with her machine gun, killing off apes by the dozen. It stopped working, to her dismay. "How typical…" She muttered.

Krystal laughed, shooting out at a few of the apes whose backs were turned. "Why, did you run out of bullets?" She asked.

"Yep… stupid… OW!!" Katt shrieked as a laser burned the fur on her tail. "My _tail_!!" She said, holding up her singed pink fur. "He shot my _tail_!!" She repeated, taking her homing rocket launcher from her backpack. "Son of a…" She cut herself off, firing the rocket at the monkey who'd shot at her.

The rocket struck its mark, also taking out several nearby apes. She continually fired as fast as the heavy gun could, knocking out nearly all of the enemies. When the homing rocket launcher was empty, she took out her gatling gun and held down the trigger until all of the apes in the room were dead.

"That'll teach you to shoot my tail…" Katt mumbled. Fox just gaped at her. She smirked, turning around. "Beat that." She said teasingly.

Fox shook his head, slowly turning toward the exit. A shot whizzed by his nose, making him jump. He accidentally pulled the trigger on his blaster, sending a shot randomly into the air.

A second before, one of the animals who worked there had snuck into the base and turned on the laser-deflection shield in attempt to save the base, making the entire structure laser-proof. The shot fired from Fox's blaster ricocheted off the walls.

"Aaahhh! Look out!" Katt screamed, ducking in attempt to dodge the flying laser. Fox covered his head with his arms and ducked as it whizzed by his ears. Krystal gasped, quickly dodging the shot, and then stopping it with a force field. "You idiot!! Look before you shoot! You almost got us killed…" Katt snapped.

Fox, despite the situation, burst into laughter.

"It's not funny!" Katt said, trying not to grin.

Krystal giggled. "We're in the middle of a battle, we almost shot ourselves by accident, and we can't help but laugh at it. I guess it is rather funny." She said, turning back to the exit, where a few of the soldiers were running into the base. She quickly shot them, and then headed to the end of the tunnel. "Come on, we'll save the laughter for later." She said. "Right now, we need to stop Oikonny before he calls more backup… or worse, makes a getaway."

As if on cue, the second the words were out of her mouth, a huge explosion rattled the whole base.

"Hurry up! Get the next one loaded. We need to make sure they don't find the escape ship. Oikonny's heading there, we need to make sure these guys are distracted and make it to the ship before we're left behind." A barely audible voice said from outside.

"Alright…" Said a second voice. "Ready, fire!!" Another explosion rattled the base. Krystal gasped.

"Come on! I'll find Oikonny. Make sure no ships leave the area." She said.

"Yes, sir." Katt said sarcastically. Krystal gave her a friendly glare. "I got it! Let's go!" Katt said, smiling as she walked toward the exit. "And good luck."

With that, they split up. Krystal could sense Oikonny through telepathy. He was hurrying away from the base, but she knew she'd catch him before he got far. She took off running, dodging stray lasers and trying not to draw too much attention to herself. The last thing she needed was a group of half-witted apes chasing her.

The vixen spotted Oikonny, fleeing across the snowy planet, and ran after him. Suddenly the ground under her felt slippery. She tried to stop, and then lost her balance, reeling backward. The next thing she knew, she hit the ground hard. Wincing, she groaned and turned her head. She turned over and carefully began to get up, but she only got to her hands and knees when she realized that she was in the center of a wide creek. The snow had covered it, but the center was slick and… thin.

The sounds that she heard nearly made her heart stop.

The ice made a loud gurgle, and a few cracks went across it. She gasped in fear, watching in horror as the ice began to crack. She slowly began to move toward the edge of the snow. The ice continued to crack. The vixen shrieked as the ice below her shattered, sending her sliding into the freezing cold water. A shocking icy chill swept over her as she became drenched with the cold water. It took her a moment to recover from the shock, and then she swam back up to the surface, but the ice had already been frozen again. She pounded frantically on the bottom of the ice, trying to break it as her breath began to diminish.

She could feel herself slowly beginning to fade into unconsciousness as she frantically pounded the ice, trying desperately to find her way back into the air.

(**Meanwhile**)

The cloaked vulpine walked swiftly down the dark hall, toward a certain room. He opened the door angrily.

"You can't do this! Just let me live again! I can't just sit here and watch you kill her." He snapped at the other figure, who sat in an old chair at an old desk.

The one in the chair slowly turned to face his brother, his green eyes changing to red. "You made a deal, and you broke it. Why should I keep my end of the deal?" he asked.

The younger of the two glared. "When we made the deal, you never said that we would be committing murder! I love her! How could I kill her?" He asked.

"I don't have enough power to bring you to life or grant you more time, even if I _did_ want to. If you want to save her, you'll have to strain your power, which could kill you. Then what would happen if she got into trouble again?" The red-eyed vulpine asked. He looked at his younger brother's face, and he realized that without their eye-colors and scars, no-one would be able to tell them apart, except by their attitude.

"You've got to stop hurting her! I can't help her twenty-four seven. She's the only one who can restore the planet." The younger said.

"I don't want her to restore the planet. If she brings the planet back, then we both die." His brother argued. He sighed. "You'll have to hurry if you're going to save her."

"What?"

He sighed. "She's on Fichina. She fell through the ice and the surface has frozen over already." The older one said. The younger one's blue eyes opened wide in horror. "You're welcome. I didn't have to tell you that."

"AHG!! I can't save her this time! I might die!!" The younger cried out.

"It's either you, or her. I didn't set this one up, amazingly. She was stupid enough not to look where she was going." He sighed, looking at his brother with a pang of guilt. "Here…" He stood from his chair and placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. He winced and groaned as he began to glow pure white, along with his brother. He stopped glowing a few seconds later, taking his hand away from his brother.

"Thank you…" The younger said.

"This doesn't mean that I won't do anything to keep her from saving Cerinia. I only did that because you're my brother." The older said weakly. "Now go…"

The younger one ran out of the room at top speed, and then he vanished before he reached the end of the hall.

(**Back on Fichina**)

Fox blasted an ape, dodging a laser from a different one. Oikonny had more backup. Several of the C.D.F. had fallen to enemy fire. The rest were fighting with everything in them. Fox was fighting from against the Climate Control Center, using it as cover. The battle was taking a turn for the worse.

Katt and Slippy were fighting with every bit in them, shooting as fast as they could. Every shot counted. One miss could throw them off and mean their lives. They were outnumbered, but they still had one advantage… they knew exactly what was going on and were all well trained. Oikonny's group, however, were somewhat confused, and most of their shots went randomly, hitting whatever was in the way. Several of them had been shot by shots reflecting off of the Climate Control Center, which was still protected by the laser-deflector shield.

Katt shot one of the apes who had been trying to sneak up on them, and winced as another dog soldier fell. If they could get to Oikonny, the apes would all stop fighting, and perhaps flee. They had to make sure he didn't get away. Hopes of that decreased every minute as more and more animals fell to the ground…

(**Somewhere near the river**)

In the center of the snowy plain, a dark figure appeared. Animals stopped in their tracks. Lasers froze in place. Objects that had been thrown paused in mid-air. There were only two beings in existence who hadn't been frozen in time.

The figure stopped for a second, wincing as he tried to use his mind power. He rushed to the icy river where a young blue vixen was trapped underwater, quickly losing consciousness. He shot a blue energy blast at the ice, shattering one area. He took a deep breath, and after removing his cloak, he dove in, trying his best to ignore the icy chill that swept over him.

Krystal saw movement out of the corner of her eye, however blurry it may have been. She turned to face whoever was there, not sure if she could hold her breath that long. He reached out his hand and took her arm, tugging her toward the opening in the ice, which hadn't had time to freeze back over. Krystal broke the surface gasping for air. Her mysterious rescuer quickly climbed out of the water. She hurried after him, escaping from the icy liquid. The water droplets that fell from their soaking clothes never hit the ground. Gravity still worked, but there wasn't time for them to fall.

He glanced at her, but turned away, covering his face with his hands.

All at once, she knew who it was. "Thank you…" She murmured. Curious, she stepped toward him, trying to glimpse his face.

"You're welcome… I can't help you again, so be careful…" Noticing that she was coming closer, he turned away, hiding his face.

"Who are you?" Krystal asked.

"You don't need to know." He said, picking up his cloak and slipping it on. An unnatural darkness surrounded it, making the shadows of his face and hands deeper and more unclear.

"Then why…" Krystal sighed, trailing off. "I'd at least like to know who keeps saving me. You know more about my power than I do, and I'm the one who gave it to you."

"You don't need to know who I am. You gave it to me only a few seconds after you…" He paused, sighing. "I can't tell you that. Just… please, be careful."

"I thought you 'two minutes' were up a few hours ago." Krystal said suspiciously.

"They were. My brother is not completely heartless. He told me that you were in trouble, and he gave me a bit of his power. It's given me at least another minute. Oikonny's probably going to try to trap you again. Don't fall for it. You need to be more aware of everything." The blue-eyed Fox replied.

"You're not helping by telling me things I already know. How about something I _don't_ know… you're name, for instance?" Krystal said, feeling agitated.

"I'm not telling you who I am! Okay? So stop asking!!" He snapped, and then he disappeared.

Krystal scoffed, and then she remembered Oikonny. She'd dropped her blaster in the ice, no going back for that. All of her weapons were in her backpack, less than ten yards away, by an arch in the snow. Krystal ran for it, grabbing it with a grin. "You'd better believe I'm not leaving you behind again." She said, although she knew the bag full of weapons was indeed an inanimate object, and therefore, could not hear or answer her.

She took her staff from the backpack, and continued to pursue Oikonny. He was followed by five guards. Finally, she got close, walking slowly as she knew she was not hidden; a dark figure in a white bliss, she stood out like neon lights on a cloudy night with no moon. Her only advantage was that they didn't expect her to be following them, and therefore, they weren't looking for her.

Oikonny continually glanced left and right, which startled the vixen every time, her knowing that he might spot her. He was getting closer and closer to the large wall of snow that lie in front of them.

_Good… I'll have him cornered… that thing keeps getting bigger… maybe I should've had Fox come with me…_ Krystal got more and more uneasy as they neared the large wall.

One of the guards turned to talk to his buddy, spotting movement out of the corner of his eye. "Hey!! Look over there!" He shouted.

"Shoot…" Krystal said under her breath. She sprinted toward them, extending her staff and shooting the five guards before they could even draw their guns. A shot to Oikonny's chest knocked him to the ground. _Wow… that was surprisingly easy… Nothing ever goes that well… wait a second…_ She neared the limp body of Oikonny, keeping herself ready to attack or flee at any second. He looked dead… She stood over him, and slowly began to kneel down.

She never saw his fist coming.

A terrific pain caused her jaw to throb as she was sent reeling backwards. She recovered quickly, delivering a powerful kick to Oikonny's stomach. He did stumble backward, but her foot felt odd, as if she'd kicked a brick wall. She then attacked with a series of hits with her staff, spinning it expertly around. Oikonny grabbed the staff and held onto it tightly, and then he flung it several feet away.

Caught without her staff, Krystal drew her blaster, a moment too late. Then next kick sent her to the ground, and the next one was aimed at her backpack, which was flung farther than her staff.

Krystal was annoyed that he'd disarmed her so fast. Her blaster was closest, ten feet away, behind Oikonny. She threw a punch to his face, knocking Oikonny off balance. She was able to dodge the next few punches, but he was also able to avoid her attacks. She kicked his knee, drawing a cry of pain, and then realized that her blaster was only a few inches away. She moved her left foot in a sweeping motion, tripping the ape to the ground. Then she grabbed her blaster, aiming it down at him and placing her foot on his chest.

"I should shoot you right in the chest… Only you're a heartless old beast." She aimed the gun at his forehead, causing an alarmed look to come over Oikonny's face. "Hm… I could shoot your brains out, except you haven't got any. That wouldn't help." Oikonny glared at her. Krystal smirked, thoroughly enjoying herself. She then pointed the blaster at his stomach. "Hm… I could shoot you in your guts, only… you haven't got any." She then pointed the gun at a certain point below his waist. "Hm… Well, you've got no guts, so I suppose you don't have those either. You're a tough one to kill." She said.

Oikonny was furious. She had just insulted him about nearly everything. He lifted his arm to shove her away from him, but a burning green laser stopped him. It went directly between his middle finger and his ring finger. He scowled. "I hate to complement my captor, but you've got exceptional aim, miss." He said, trying to lower his normally high-pitched voice.

"'Exceptional aim'? I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about." Krystal replied. She leaned down, an annoyed look coming to her face. "I missed." She snapped. Momentarily forgetting that she was supposed to keep the blaster aimed at him, she'd let her guard down for a second.

Oikonny took her ankle in his hand and twisted her leg as hard and fast as he could manage. Krystal cried out in pain, falling to the ground. Oikonny snatched her blaster and pressed the tip into her left side, just below her ribs, while holding her arm in an uncomfortable position.

"Well, you've got guts, but no brains… I suppose shooting you in your stomach should give you a painful enough death." He said.

"I wasn't finished, you half-witted lowly ape." Krystal said. She then took her heel and slammed it into his shins, surprising Oikonny, who let her go. He grabbed his leg and yelled in agony. Krystal whipped around with a curved punch to his face, knocking him off balance. Her leg was still sore from the way he'd twisted it, and her other leg was sore from a wound she'd previously received.

Oikonny swung his fist at her, narrowly missing her face. He looked as if he'd just remembered something, and then he drew a knife from a hidden holder on his leg. Krystal only had one way to escape the next attack.

_Oh, I hate it when I have to do this…_ She grunted in effort, leaning her upper body back so far she could nearly touch the ground. _Crap… I hate having to get up…_ Tightening her stomach muscles, she pulled herself back into an upright position, stretching her arm out and hitting Oikonny square in the face with her fist. The ape grabbed his nose, which was now bleeding.

Now even more angry, he swung at her aggressively with the knife. Krystal was able to narrowly dodge his attacks. He made one quick swipe toward her face, which she hadn't seen coming as soon. She instinctively leaned back and covered her face with her arm, which received a small cut.

Now she was angry. She threw one punch at him, knowing she wasn't nearly close enough to hit him, and a powerful blast of energy formed from her hand and knocked Oikonny down, also throwing him a few feet.

Krystal was losing her energy, but so was Oikonny. He lost his knife in the snow, to Krystal's relief. She kicked her right leg to an amazing height, catching him in the face. Oikonny swept his leg out, hitting the leg she was balancing on. As she fell, Krystal kicked upwards, hitting his stomach. The way he stumbled gave her enough time to get to her feet. She kicked her right leg upwards between his thighs, almost catching him in… a certain spot… He blocked her with his knee and then grabbed her arms.

"I thought you said I didn't have anything there." He said.

"If you haven't got anything there, then what are you protecting?" Krystal asked with a smirk, jabbing her knee right where her foot would've gone.

Oikonny grunted, letting her go and leaning over. Krystal then kicked him in the face, knocking him out. She grabbed her blaster and sent a signal shot into the sky. As Oikonny slowly regained consciousness, she shot him with a stun ray, and then set it back to normal. "I love this gun." She said. A few moments later, Fox and Katt were seen running toward her with several of the C.D.F. behind them.

Oikonny, now over the effects of the stun, leapt up and grabbed the vixen and the gun. She shrieked, and then she felt the gun against her side. She was about to elbow him in the ribs, when a laser was fired. She yelled out in agony, clutching her side.

Oikonny stood behind her, smirking at her. "Too bad you'll probably die before your friends get here." He said.

"Krystal!" Fox's voice shouted from several yards away. He sprinted toward her as fast as he could.

The vixen kneeled in the snow, clutching her bleeding side. She tried not to think about how much pain she was in, but it was too difficult. She closed her eyes tightly, grimacing in pain.

"Freeze!" Six of the C.D.F. aimed their guns at Oikonny, who was trying to run.

Fox took Krystal by her shoulders, carefully laying her down in the snow. "Krystal, stay awake… Katt's getting help. It'll be okay…" He said softly, trying to keep the fear from showing. She nodded, trying to breathe slowly. The pain was agonizing, and every breath was painful. Fox took her in his arms and held her close.

It took a moment for her senses to register, and then she hugged him back with one arm, glad for something warm against her body. Her vision was blurring, and she knew she couldn't stay conscious much longer. She held tight to Fox, trying her hardest to stay awake.

Fox took her shoulders and looked at her face. "Krystal… stay awake, okay? Stay awake… it'll be alright."

Krystal's face was mostly relaxed. His voice was a faint echoing noise. "I… ca-…" She fell limp in his arms as her world became engulfed in darkness.

(**Several hours later…**)

Oikonny's soldiers surrendered shortly after Krystal passed out. Oikonny confessed and was put into prison, and the majority of his uncle's army all fled, leaving him helpless. The Starfox team was rewarded for their effort. Due to the medical ship Krystal had been taken to, and Katt's nagging, allowed them to take Krystal to the hospital to make sure she hadn't been wounded too badly, and perhaps get a healing patch so that her wounds would heal fast.

The doctors reported that her wounds weren't serious, except for a bit of blood loss, and that she'd be kept overnight so that the healing patch could do its work.

Krystal remained unconscious for quite a few hours, partially due to the fact that they'd given her extra shots to help her stay asleep while the healing patch was put on. She opened her eyes, and then she winced and groaned. Several voices rang through her mind, none of which she recognized. As she was telepathic, she couldn't help but pick up the distressed brainwaves of nearly every being in the entire fifteen-story hospital.

"No…" She whined, trying to create a mind block. It wasn't strong enough to keep everything out. The panic, pain, and confusion of the patients, the frustration, pity, and annoyance of the doctors and nurses, the worry and concern of the visitors… It all seemed too much with several hundred animals in the building. She tossed her head from side to side, trying to stir her thoughts away from picking up others' feelings.

A nurse came in to check on her, and was surprised. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"I can't… get… it… out…" Krystal mumbled, placing her hand on her forehead. "Fox…" She murmured, sensing his familiar presence a few rooms down in the visitor's center. As much as she tried to focus on him, her mind still picked up several other thought patterns.

"Do you need help?" The nurse asked, confused. It was her second day on the job, and already she was stressed and still didn't know her way fully around the place.

"I can't… just… get me away…" Krystal said weakly, still trying to drown out the overwhelming suffering of the patients.

(**A few doors down, in the family/visitors room…**)

Fox, Katt, Falco, Slippy, and Peppy sat silently in separate chairs. Fox sighed for what seemed like the millionth time. For the past five minutes, something had been screaming inside of him to go and see her. He couldn't take it anymore. He abruptly stood up and walked out of the room, ignoring the surprised looks from his team. When he got to her room, he could hear her saying his name.

The nurse walked out of the room, looking very worried and stressed.

"Is she okay? What's wrong?" He asked.

"She's freaking out… You're with her, right? You can go in and see if maybe you can do something. I'm going for a break." She said, and then walked away, trying to calm her frayed nerves.

Fox opened the door and slowly walked in. "Krystal, you okay?" He asked.

"Fox… I'm picking up the… thought patterns… I can't make them stop…" She said, grimacing as she tried to block her mind from them again.

Fox walked over to her. "Is there anything to help you?" He asked, not knowing what to do.

"I… don't know…" She groaned, trying to focus on Fox. He sat next to her on the edge of her bed, and then he gently took her hand. She put her arms around Fox's neck, holding herself close to him. Fox wrapped his arms around her, holding her closer. Krystal found it easier to keep her mind block up, but she kept losing it every few seconds. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, focusing on Fox's presence.

It was helping a great deal, but not quite enough. She knew that if she could just get her mind block set, then she could stop picking up the unsettling brainwaves. All at once, an idea struck her. She pushed her head back, and then kissed him passionately. Fox was rather surprised, but content at the same time. The thought patterns of the other beings were silenced as Krystal relaxed in his arms. She nearly forgot about putting up her mind block as the familiar tingle ran along her spine and butterflies stirred in her stomach. She then remembered, and blocked the thoughts of others from entering her mind. Still, she hated pulling out of the kiss. She hesitated, enjoying the thrilling feeling for a few seconds longer before she gently broke away.

They both blushed deeply as an awkward silence filled the room. Krystal laid her head on his shoulder, trying not to feel so embarrassed.

"Feel better?" Fox asked.

Krystal grinned, lifting her head to look him in the eyes. She planted a quick kiss on his lips before answering. "Much better…" She then returned her head to his shoulder, closing her eyes and letting her other senses take over.

"Good…" Fox said. He gently tightened his grip on her, holding her even closer to him. She went slowly limp in his arms, her steady breathing telling him that she'd fallen asleep.

He gently laid her down on the bed, being careful not to wake her.

_She's so beautiful when she sleeps… I wish I could marry her… what am I thinking? I'm not ready for marriage… who am I kidding…? I'm twenty-six… I guess the only problem would be a wedding ring… how would I afford one? And what if she's not ready for marriage? What if we end up with a kid, and then something happens to me? I guess I should just wait… I don't think she'd be ready for it anyway… Plus, what would the team think of me? We haven't even known each other that long… She'd think I was crazy… And where would I ever get the guts to propose? Ahg… I really need to cut this out…_

Fox sat down in one of the three chairs in the room and sighed, slowly giving in to his fatigue. Nothing would've made him more content then to fall asleep. He caught himself, snapping his head up to stay awake. But before he knew it, he'd closed his eyes and drifted off.

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Author's Notes: **I know, I know… You're probably going to say that this chapter took _**WAAAY**_ too long to get up, and I agree. The flu (shudders) was going around my neighborhood. There was not one living being within a thirty mile radius who didn't get it. Worse yet, it wasn't the _flu_. No. Not singular. It was the _flues_. There were three of them. We were ambushed! We never stood a chance! Even those who got the flu shot. You could run, but you couldn't hide! Well, you get the picture. I got it too… I was going to post this chapter, but I wasn't satisfied with it. Then I got sick until the day before yesterday, but then I was too weak to do anything. So, I have a good excuse for not posting! I'll try not to let it happen again. Also, I'm getting _much_ closer to that turn… (Laughs evilly) It'll be sad when peace on the Great Fox is no longer an option…

The good Cloaky: I hate you.

Me: Why?

The good Cloaky: You ruined everything!

Me: Well, it's the best plan I've had yet. You try to talk me out of it. (Plugs ears)

The bad Cloaky: I like it… except for the ending. That 'turn' has a very bad end for me. If only you could…

The good Cloaky: Hey! There are others here who are listening. Don't ruin it for them! (Points to you)

Me: (Sees them arguing, stops plugging ears) Yeah… um… you two just go argue about something… just don't kill each other or break anything. Anyway…

**Chapter 23: (**_**SURPRISE**_**!! No title.) **Wow… twenty three chapters and I'm not to the exciting part yet. Oh well… it shall be here! When? I really don't know… I was really hoping by chapter twenty four, but I don't think it's gonna be that way. Maybe… Chapter twenty five, or twenty six… This story is _loooooong_ from over. I'm almost to the middle… I think. Anyhow, this chapter has an interesting start… I won't say anything. Just wait and read it. Although after the start, I haven't thought of that yet…

**A hint about the turning point: **Um… has it been two weeks since Katt and Krystal went to the mall? (Their time, not ours, _obviously_…) There was _something_ mentioned there by Katt when she bought Krystal a certain outfit. I'll say nothing more. Sorry!

Wishbone the Lover of Books: You haven't reviewed in a long time! I didn't lose you, did I?

StarFoxFan: You haven't reviewed in a while either… You're still alive, right?

**And this ends another chapter… :)**


	23. Chapter 23: Con

**Chapter 23: Con**

"Fox… Fox…" The voice echoed in the black abyss.

The sleepy vulpine opened his eyes and looked around. All he could see was black. His feet weren't on the ground. In fact, he didn't even know which way the ground was.

"Fox…"

He could recognize that voice anywhere.

"Father?"

"My son… you're not a boy anymore."

Fox couldn't tell where the voice was coming from. He looked about himself, trying to find the source. "Where are you?" He asked. The shadow of his father lightened and walked toward him. It was as if the only light in the area was coming from him. Fox grinned. He couldn't help but feel like a child as he saw his father.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, son. I missed out on your life, and you missed out on having a father." James said. He was wearing his sunglasses, as usual, and Fox couldn't help but wonder how he could see anything.

"It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have done anything about it." Fox said. "If Andross hadn't…"

"No. It was my fault. I took it for granted that I was one of the few ace pilots, and I wasn't as alert as I should've been. If I had focused on the mission, I would've been there for you." James argued.

Fox swallowed the lump in his throat. "It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known. Plus, it already happened. We can't change the past." Fox said.

"But we can look out for the future. I see you've found yourself a girl." James changed the subject, causing Fox to blush lightly.

"Yeah…" He said nervously.

"Do you love her?" James asked.

"Well… yeah, w-why else would she be on the team?" Fox said, fighting his nervousness.

"She's the one you're meant to be with. She's your future wife, and the one who will bare you children." James said.

"I… children, wow… It… never crossed my mind. I mean, one kid would be alright, I guess, but more than one? What if I… what if I can't be a good father? What if…" Fox began, and trailed off.

"You turn out like me? You won't. You have a good team to back you up. You'll be there for your kids. And there'll be two, whether you like it or not." James said with a smile.

Fox chuckled. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"Ah, you'll know. When the time comes, you'll remember what I told you. But you'll forget one day, not too far from now. You will face the greatest challenge of your life, and maybe not even see the way out, but you'll make it through." James sighed, placing a hand on Fox's shoulder.

"What… what challenge?" Fox asked.

"I can't tell you. It will be very difficult on an emotional and physical level. Trust your instincts, and never give up." James took a step back and began to fade from view.

"Wait, what do you mean! It doesn't make sense! Don't leave! Please…" Fox closed his eyes and let his head hang down.

"Fox, wake up in there!" Falco's voice broke the silence. Fox snapped his head up to find himself in his arwing. He yawned once and looked out the window, his eyes suddenly becoming aware of a large metal ship. "Come on, sleepy head! Get your act together!! He's getting away!" Falco shouted. Fox pressed the boost on his arwing, pursuing the odd looking ship. His mind was void of any memory to what was going on.

He gasped in shock as the ship turned to face him.

"Andross!" He exclaimed. "How many times do I have to kill you before you _die_!?"

The evil scientist had a cruel smirk on his machine face. "Hahahaha… very interesting, McCloud. You seem to think that you can defeat me easily. Let's see who wins _this_ time, Fox McCloud." Andross sneered.

"RAAAHHH!" Fox bellowed as he fired several lasers into the hands of the mechanism. To his surprise, there was no sign of his lasers left on the machine.

"Fox, no!" Krystal shrieked. "It's a trap! It's not him, Fox! Get away from it!"

"What?" Fox asked, confused.

"Get out, it's a trap!!" Krystal cried again. But it was too late… All five arwings were engulfed in a bright fiery light as Andross' ship exploded.

"NOOOOOOOO!!" Fox gasped, looking up, and panting heavily. He was still in his own room, sweat dampening his orangey-auburn fur.

He looked to his left, where Krystal lay, sleeping peacefully. After the shocking dream he'd just had, he didn't know how he'd be able to fall asleep again.

It was two days since the Fichina incident. Oikonny was in still in prison. Andross was still dead.

Fox got out of his bed and left the room, quietly opening the door and closing it behind him. He walked quietly to the kitchen, where he poured himself a glass of water. He drank it slowly, savoring the cool liquid as it refreshed his dry mouth. He set his cup in the sink and quietly walked back down the hall.

The vulpine slowly opened the door, wincing as it creaked. He didn't want to wake up Krystal. What he didn't know was that she was already awake. Fox softly climbed into the bed, trying not to jolt it.

"Are you okay?" Krystal inquired softly.

Fox winced. "Yeah… I didn't wake you up, did I?" He asked, lying down.

"No…" Krystal lied, not wanting him to feel bad. "I-I woke up when you left." She added.

"Sorry…" Fox said. Krystal scooted closer to him, nudging his shoulder with her cheek. Fox smiled and put his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. Krystal sighed happily, relaxing in his strong arms. They soon fell asleep.

(**The next morning**)

Fox grimaced, hearing footsteps down the hall. He didn't want to get up. He wanted to stay asleep the whole day. It was useless. He was awake. Whether he closed his eyes or not, he'd still be awake for the rest of the day, provided nothing hit him over the head. He sighed, opening his eyes for the first time that morning. A grin spread across his face as he saw Krystal, sleeping peacefully beside him. There was a dim, ethereal glow in the room from the stars outside the window. It shined on Krystal's blue fur, making it glisten.

He reached over and gently stroked her face. Her soft fur felt so smooth beneath his fingers. She stirred slightly, readjusting her position and slowly making her way to consciousness. Fox simply watched her, his eyes taking in her beautiful features. Her eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the dim light. Seeing Fox, she closed her eyes with a relaxed smile.

"What time is it?" She asked.

Fox turned to glance at the clock, and then he continued to stare at her. "It's about ten." He said.

"It feels like it's still night…" Krystal mumbled. "It's so dark in space."

"Yeah, not when your window's facing the sun…" Fox said jokingly.

A sudden longing came over Krystal, as if they were too far apart. She moved closer to him, hoping the feeling would go away.

Fox felt it too. He put his arms around her and held her tight against him. It was the strangest thing they'd ever felt. An odd feeling tingled in the back of Krystal's mind. It kept telling her that something bad was going to happen soon. She pushed it aside, focusing on the moment instead. Still, she couldn't help but wonder why she felt that way.

She loved the feeling of being in his arms… She felt safe and secure, yet as free as ever. She felt as if there was something she needed, yet she was content. She wished she could stay there until the end of time… but life has a way of disappointing us.

"Yo, Fox! Ya gonna sleep in all day, or what? You've got a message from the General. Hurry up and get to the bridge!" Falco's voice echoed over the ship's comm system.

Fox rolled his eyes. "Looks like I've got to get up." He said with a hint of regret. "You can sleep in a little longer if you want."

"I already did sleep in…" Krystal said, rubbing her eyes. "I've got to get up, or else Falco might get some bright idea about teasing you." She joked. But when she sat up, she had to stop for a moment as a stabbing pain went through her left side. She winced, putting her hand on it.

"You okay?" Fox asked. He was already up.

"Yeah…" Krystal said. "It's just a bit sore."

"You're pretty brave, you know. Going one-on-one with Oikonny. You could've been killed." Fox said.

"Well, I couldn't let _you_ take all of the credit!" Krystal said, giggling. "I guess he taught me not to let my guard down. I probably should've charged the gun before I stunned him. He'd have been out for a while longer, at least."

"Hey, you did good. He'll have to get through jail and a whole lot of other things before he can go anywhere _near_ you again." Fox said. He retreated to the small bathroom to dress.

Krystal gently rubbed her side, trying to relieve some of the pain. She had to wonder how a tiny patch of material that was the size of a Band-Aid could enhance her body's natural ability to heal, speeding up the healing process. Regardless, it was still painful. She stood up and limped a few feet, favoring her right leg.

Fox emerged from the bathroom and planted a quick kiss on Krystal's lips before he left the room. She smiled in spite of the pain she was in. She slowly got dressed, and then headed to the bridge. Falco and Fox were arguing about something.

"I did _not_!" Fox snapped.

"You did, admit it. Why were you still in bed at ten o'clock? You're usually up at eight." Falco argued.

Krystal laughed, sensing what they were arguing about. "Falco, one would think you'd have learned your lesson about teasing us." She said.

"One would think _you'd_ have learned your lesson about lying." Falco said with a smirk. Katt, who had been standing against the wall, was just grinning at them.

"Krys, he's never gonna learn. Face it, Falco. You're a half-witted stuck-up bird brain. You'll never get any smarter." She said.

Falco glared. "If it wasn't for this stupid leg, I'd strangle you." He threatened through clenched teeth.

"Mm-hm… sure… and you never cheated on anyone in high school, either." Katt said sarcastically.

Krystal stifled a laugh. She searched Falco's memories, and nearly broke into a laughing fit. "Actually, he had seven girlfriends at once through his senior year." She said.

Falco turned and glared daggers at the vixen. "You stay out of my head!!" He snapped.

"Easy, Falco… You might over heat, and that would lower your I.Q. You can't afford to lose another point… you don't have many left." Katt said in a calm voice, as if she was stating the weather forecast.

"Why you… AAAHHHG!!" The avian cried out in pain and clutched his leg, forgetting it had been hurt until he stomped on it. "When I get healed, you are _so_ gonna pay for that…"

"Hey, I'd love to see where this is going, but I came down here to see a message." Fox said. He typed a few buttons on the computer, and an image of General Pepper appeared.

"General Pepper here… I have good news, Starfox. Oikonny is safe in prison, where he'll be for a very long time. You shall be paid efficiently for your efforts the other day. Also, the government has agreed to pay for your expenses if you choose to stay at a local hotel. I'm afraid, however, that you will not be able to dock your ship until tomorrow evening, as the main docking bay is too full. If you stop by my office today, I can have your fee ready by two. Call me if anything changes. Pepper, out!"

"Ha! Scumbags… We do something right, they worship at our feet. We mess up once, they dump us out like yesterday's scrambled eggs." Falco said sourly.

"Be grateful they're agreeing to pay us. After the power plant blew up, we lost half of our fans." Fox said. "We'll have to watch out next time we run into the 'mob'. Half of them will want autographs, and the other half will want our deaths."

"Plus… what do you expect from reporters? They'll say anything to attract attention." Katt said. "You never know what they could be saying about us."

"Well, I'll be heading out to the General's office to…" Fox began. A beeping on the control board stopped him. "What the… _SLIPPY_!!"

The slightly frightened frog hurried into the room. "What?" He asked.

"Didn't you check to make sure that we weren't heading into an asteroid field?" Fox asked.

"I did! I'm positive!" Slippy said defensively.

"Well, how do you explain this?" Fox asked, gesturing out the window. Several asteroids flew past the window, and most of them struck the ship. "We can't take this kind of damage! Not until we've gotten repaired from the last assault."

"How on earth did we end up in an asteroid field? I didn't think that there were any asteroid fields between us and Corneria. We passed the only one last night." Katt said.

Slippy was checking out the computer system. "What? I'm the only one who knows the override code. Someone changed our course for _the_ Asteroid Field! The big one…" He said, more confused than afraid.

"Slippy… you don't mean the one that…" Katt began.

"No one's ever navigated and come out alive…" Falco said, dread in his voice.

"Yeah, well no one's ever killed Andross and survived either…" Fox said sarcastically.

"Good point, but we've never been in this kind of…" The flashing red light on the control board that was accompanied by an alarm interrupted the pink feline.

"What's that?" Krystal asked.

"The shields are failing. Great… Slippy, override the auto pilot and set the brakes. I'm not risking this ship. Fal-…" Fox paused, remembering that Falco had been wounded. "Katt and I will head out and clear a path in the arwings."

"Not without me, you don't!" Falco said quickly. "I need some fun too!"

"Not with your leg. You could really hurt yourself." Krystal said.

"Yeah, well I'm not a coward like y-… someone." Falco said.

"There's a fine line between being a coward and being smart, just as there's a line between brave and stupid." Krystal countered.

"Enough. Krystal, you stay here and help Slippy." Fox said. He turned to the frog. "I'll tell you when to get out. Wait for me to tell you, and then turn the ship around and head through."

"Okay." Slippy said. Fox and Katt ran for their arwings.

Falco half jogged, half limped to his arwing, yelling, "Hey! Wai- ow! Wait up, ow! Ow! It hurts! Stupid le- ow! Cut it _ow_-t!! Curse this stupi- ow!"

Krystal laughed. The three pilots flew around the Great Fox, shooting away any asteroids close enough to do damage, and then they began to make a path.

"Hey, Krystal, can you use that… bluish… um… force field thing… maybe…" Slippy said nervously.

"Yeah." Krystal held out her hand and made a large force field in front of the window. One of the larger asteroids was headed into the ship, but it hit her barrier and bounced off in a different direction.

"Yeah! Keep doing that. I need to go… uh… restart the shield generator." Slippy said, not bothering with the complicated explanation. He left the room.

Krystal concentrated, and put a shield around the entire ship. After only a few seconds, she had to put it down. It took her a few seconds to recover. Panting lightly, she closed her eyes to concentrate.

"Don't bother. The rock's not gonna hurt the ship." A familiar voice said.

Krystal quickly looked up, and couldn't help smiling at the blue-eyed vulpine, who was wearing his usual attire. "What, am I in trouble?" She asked sarcastically.

"_No_… I just thought I'd stop by and talk. I've got three minutes instead of two." He replied.

"Well, what happens when I get in trouble later and need to be saved?" Krystal asked.

"My brother's not planning anything else… not that I know of. He's still planning to talk to you in person, but not today. He's just practicing being himself, for once." The vulpine said.

"If I talk to you long enough, I'm sure I'll remember you. Then what?" Krystal asked.

"You won't remember me. You didn't even recognize me when I…" He paused, as if he had almost given something away.

"When you what…?" Krystal asked.

"N-nothing… you wouldn't recognize me if I took off this hood." He said. "You'd think I was my brother."

"Try me. Go ahead, take off your hood." Krystal prompted.

"I'm not falling for that. You know very well that I'm not taking off my hood."

"Hm… well, let's see. Here are my clues. You're stubborn, arrogant, bad tempered…" Krystal began.

"Hey! I am _not_! You can't just take one look at me and say…" He stopped as the vixen began laughing.

"Case and point!" She said. "And you're right. I _can't _just take one look at you."

"You've seen me before… even after the village was destroyed. You saw me on the next planet you went to, you saw me on this ship, and you saw me on Fichina." The vulpine said. He winced.

"What's wrong?" Krystal asked.

"I'm running low on time." He replied.

"Your brother gave you time. Do… do you think I can give you time too?" Krystal asked.

"I dunno… I dunno how he does it. He just touches me and starts glowing."

Krystal stepped toward him. "Let me try." She said. She reached for his hand, but he pulled it away. He winced again. There wasn't much time left. Krystal gently took his hand. Deep inside, she remembered him… but she couldn't find where she'd stored the memory. It was almost as if it didn't exist. She concentrated hard and began to glow a light, nearly white blue. She could feel the energy around them. Her energy was fading fast.

The cloaked vulpine stood silently, eyes closed, feeling the energy surround him. Krystal couldn't do anymore. She let his hands go, and the glow stopped. "Did it work?" She asked.

"I… I think so…" He replied. For one moment, their eyes met. He looked away nervously. "Um… thanks. I don't know how I can repay you."

"Tell me you name?" Krystal asked.

"Anything _but_ that." He said. Deep inside, he wondered what she would ask. Even deeper, he secretly hoped for a kiss, although he knew that would never happen.

"Well… do you have a nick name? Something I can call you besides 'the guy in the hood who saves me all the time'." Krystal said.

He grinned. "Alright, I'll think of something. How about…" He paused, holding his breath. "Gah, I can't think of anything. Um… okay…" He looked at the control board, and then at Slippy's chair. "Con? I dunno…"

"Con? That works. You read that off of Slippy's manual just now, didn't you?" Krystal asked. Slippy had a book out on his chair. The word at the top of the page was 'Controls'.

"Well, I guess, sorta. It… just kinda… Yeah, I read it off that book." He said.

Krystal was silent for a moment. "When I first met you, you had some kind of… device that altered your voice. What happened to it?" She asked.

"I… borrowed one from my brother, and then I broke it. Kinda on purpose… but, then I stole his other one and sort of… 'accidentally' dropped into the ocean at Zoness." Con said, grinning.

Krystal giggled. "Accidentally, huh?" She asked. "And another thing… how is it you're always there when I'm in trouble?"

"What, am I a suspect now?" He asked. "This is how…" He vanished for a second, but reappeared a few feet away.

"You can teleport!? Omigosh! That's so cool." Krystal exclaimed.

"Yeah, well… you can do a lot of things when you're…" He paused, sighing. "Never mind. Just… help out your team until they get outta here. By the way, my brother messed up the controls, sorry about that. I'm also kinda wondering how much time you gave me… it seems like a lot more than one minute. Yeah, I'll go now."

"But, wa-…" Krystal stopped as he vanished. "Never… mind…" She mumbled.

"What?" Slippy had re-entered the room to hear her mumbling.

"Huh? Oh… just… talking to myself…" Krystal said. She looked out the window and gasped. A huge meteor looked like it might crush the ship in one blow. And it was just a few feet from doing so. She put her hands out and created the largest shield she could manage. Her energy vanished the second the rock touched the shield. She groaned in effort to keep up the barrier.

From outside, Fox, Falco, and Katt could see the rock and Krystal's shield. To Fox's amazement, the shield was bending in toward the ship. He shot into action, boosting toward the rock. It seemed to take forever to get to the spot. He fired a nova bomb, blowing up the meteor.

Krystal's shield vanished, and she dropped to her knees. Slippy was gawking in amazement.

"Wow… are you okay?" He asked.

Krystal was panting heavily and coughing. She managed to look up and nod her head. After a few seconds to catch her breath, Krystal got to her feet weakly and stood leaning forward for a few short moments.

Fox's voice emitted from the comm system. "Hey, Slip! Turn the ship around and head out. We'll make sure no more asteroids come close."

"Sure… just…" Slippy mumbled something as he pulled some levers and typed some buttons. "Da da da… this goes here… mm hm… There!" The ship slowly began to turn around. After turning to face the opposite direction, the ship headed out through the trail the arwings had made.

As soon as it had cleared the asteroid field, Fox, Katt, and Falco flew into the docking bay. Upon landing, Fox and Katt leapt from their arwings gracefully. Falco opened the cockpit.

"Um… a little help here…?" He asked.

Fox ignored him and left. Katt gave him a smirk and a 'thumbs up', and then left.

"Hey, don't forget me! Alright… well… just remember to bring me food. And wait 'til I get outta here…" Falco sighed, leaning back in his arwing. "I'm doomed…"

"Hey, good job, Slip." Fox said. "You too, Krystal."

"Yeah, and Falco will get a reward when – and if – he gets outta there." Katt said.

"What, is he stuck in his arwing or something?" Krystal asked.

"Yes, actually." Katt replied. "Bird Brain could barely make it inside the arwing. He'll have to wait until he heals to get ou-.."

"You _shut up_!! I am going to _kill_ you!" Falco shouted from the door to the docking bay. "You are _so_ gonna pay for leaving me there…" His teeth were clenched, more in pain than anger.

"Uh, Falco? You might wanna calm down… by the way your leg is bleeding." Katt said.

"Yeah, ri-…" He looked down to see a small trickle of blood coming from his leg. "Ohhh…" He glanced at his leg, and then passed out.

"Rob, help him to the medical room…" Fox said.

Rob walked over to the unconscious avian and picked him up, and then he carried him to the medical room.

"Wow… he must have been _really_ angry." Krystal said.

"I think he just lost another I.Q. point…" Katt said. Just then, her phone rang. She snatched it from her pocket and tried to answer it, but she almost dropped it instead, shrieking as she managed to grasp it. She tapped the button. "Hello?... Hannah! Hi!... no… Oh my gosh, I completely forgot!... yeah, I can still come… of course… I will _be _there… okay… yeah, see you then!... okay, bye!" She put the phone back into her pocket. Everyone was staring at her. "What…?"

"What was that all about?" Krystal asked.

"Oh… um… well, my friend Hannah invited us to a party. She did give me two weeks notice, I just kinda… forgot… Krystal, you are coming and that is that. It's tomorrow night. You're wearing that dress I bought you." Katt said.

"Okay… no opposing you, you are _going_ to have it your way, or the highway." Krystal joked.

"Of course. Would we have it any other way?" Katt asked, smiling. "Fox, you can come if you want, but you have _got_ to see Krystal in that dress." She said.

"Um… okay…" Fox said.

Katt grinned. "It's tomorrow night at seven-thirty. It's gonna be great!"

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I did it! I finished the chapter! You didn't think I would, did you? I wouldn't leave this hanging, never. If FoxMC can update, _so can I_. Anyway… a party! Whoopee! No, it's not gonna be one of those boring things where drunk people lounge in corners and other people fall asleep… It'll be much more exciting. I'll let you wait and read it.

_Con_**:** You can't do that! You _can't_!! And 'Con'? That's the best name you could come up with? _What is the world coming to_?!

_Me_**:** Um… Yes I can… And Con is a perfect name for you. Can you think of anything better?

_Con_**:** Uh… oh, crap.

_Me_**: **'Crap'? You wanna be called 'Crap'? No way. And another thing… _I'm the author here_! Not you. I can do whatever I want.

_Crap_**:** Fine. But, can I just appear in the party? Please? You know, the part when what's-his-face comes?

_Me_**:** No. Go fight with your brother or something…

**Chapter 24: **Forget the whole title thing. I'll put it up when it's finished. Anyway… I'm not sure exactly what's gonna happen in this chapter. I am letting on that in the next two chapters, the 'turn' begins! _It's alive!!_ Sorry… um… I wish I could tell you all that happens, but then you would have no reason to read it. So, here's a few hints… Krystal isn't the only survivor of her planet, as you've probably guessed by now. One of the others just happens to be at a certain place at a certain time… Who knows when I'm gonna get that chapter done. Hopefully I'll be able to fit everything in there, which means it'll probably be a little long… Until then… um… just wait, I guess… :)


	24. Chapter 24: The Party, Part 1

**Chapter 24: The Party, Part 1: False Impressions**

(**A/n**: And now, the beginning of the turn… hehe…)

"Whew… we're alive." Fox joked. Slippy had just landed the Great Fox in the Corneria Central Docking Bay.

Krystal laughed. Falco stood in the corner, scowling. He hadn't said more than two words in the past twenty-four hours. Neither of those words were to Katt. "So, they're letting us stay at the hotel again?" Krystal asked.

"Yep. This time we get the top floor." Fox said. Everything was all ready. Katt had her six suitcases. Falco had his backpack. They walked off of the ship.

Slippy was the last to exit. "Hey, guess what?" He asked.

"What is it, Slip?" Fox asked.

"General Pepper arranged for a limo to pick us up! We get to ride in a real limo!" The frog said.

"That's nice." Peppy said.

"Whoop-de-do." Falco said without enthusiasm.

"Wow… he talked!" Katt said. "Too bad his I.Q. is so low he can't say anything in an actual language." She got a deep glare for that remark. Falco was still limping on his leg.

The Starfox team walked out of the building. A mob of fans surrounded them, but the police held them back far enough to keep them from disturbing the famous team. As Fox and Krystal came out, the crowd cheered loud. One fan shouted out something, and soon almost the entire crowd was cheering the same thing… "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" "Come on, Fox! Kiss her!"

Fox blushed slightly. He shook his head. "No… cut it out. Come on!" He said with a nervous smile on his face.

Krystal was rather nervous too. Katt elbowed her. "Come on, do it!" She urged. Peppy stood with a knowing look, shaking his head, and Slippy blushed.

"No! Katt…" Krystal mumbled.

Falco elbowed Fox. "Hey, come on, foxy. You know you want to." He said.

Fox glared at the avian. "We're in front of, like, a thousand animals. I'm not gonna do it." He said.

"I'm not letting you in the limo until you do." Falco said.

Fox turned to Krystal.

"It doesn't look like we've got much of a choice…" She said. Fox was blushing. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. The crowd cheered wildly, and cameras flashed.

Someone gave a loud 'whoop' before they climbed into the limo.

"I can't believe you guys made us do that." Fox said, mainly to Falco.

"Hey, don't look at me! They started it…" Falco said, pointing out the window to the gathering crowd.

"You didn't have to encourage it!" Fox said.

"You two got your smooch, the reporters got their story, and the photographers got their pictures. Everyone's happy." Falco said.

"Good to see you're talking, even though you still don't make sense." Katt said. Falco shot her another glare.

Slippy sighed, looking out the window. He had to wonder how Katt and Falco could bicker like that and still be in love.

They arrived at the hotel. Fox thanked the driver and they walked inside.

The receptionist recognized them immediately. "Oh! Starfox! We've reserved six rooms for you on the top floor. There's a private pool and gym down the hall from your rooms. Only those staying on the top floor are allowed to use it, and you are currently the only ones staying on the top floor. If you need anything, just pick up the phone on your nightstand and dial zero." She said. There was a different receptionist than the last time. She was a white wolf. "Your handprints are still registered from last time you stayed, so go on up! You've got rooms 7240, 7242, 7244, 7246, 7248, and 7250."

"Thanks…" Fox said. They walked over to the elevators and managed to squeeze into the only one available.

"Hey, kitty cat, can you get your five hundred pound bag off of my foot?!" Falco snapped.

"No." Katt said, sitting on it.

Falco grimaced and stifled a cry of pain. Slippy laughed. Falco was much relieved when the elevator stopped, but Katt didn't move. She waited until the others had gone, and then she turned to Falco.

"You first." She said with a sweet smile. Falco, now extremely angry, pushed over her suitcase, landing her on the ground.

"No, you first." He snapped, and then he walked out of the elevator. Katt expertly picked up all of her suitcases and exited the elevator about two seconds before the door slammed shut. She chose her room, the one next to Falco's. The rest of the team chose their rooms as well.

Krystal entered her room, gawking at it. This room was even bigger than the last one. It not only had all of the features of the last room, it had more. The balcony was at least twice the size, if not, then bigger. The kitchen area had a large island with several stools on one side. The living room had a huge, soft, comfy couch with soft and fluffy pillows, and an extra large recliner with velvet-like material, not to mention the coffee table and the large, empty area on the wall for the holographic TV. It had two fireplaces, one in the bedroom and one in the living room. Krystal plopped onto the bed and sank into the feather comforter.

No sooner had she done so, there was a knock on the door. She got up to find Katt at the door with her purse. "What?" The vixen asked.

"Come on. We've got seven hours to get ready. That'll fly by like a ship in hyperspace." Katt replied.

"Where exactly are w-…"

"The mall, where else? Come _on_!" Katt grabbed Krystal's arm and pulled her into the hall. Then she shut the door and they left. They had a wonderful time, getting their hair cut and dyed, a manicure and pedicure, and a facial.

Feeling refreshed, the two girls returned to the hotel.

"What_ ever_ you do, do _not_ let Fox see you until you're completely ready. I'll be there with my camera to take a picture. There's no _way_ I'll miss out on the look on his face." Katt said. She looked at the clock in the lobby. "It's six… we've got one hour. Come on!" Katt said. They rushed into Krystal's room. "Okay… I know we just got all primped up and stuff, but we both need showers. I'll go on the other side and open the door to our rooms. Since they're right next to each other, we can do that. See that door? Open it. I'll be through in a second…" Katt exited Krystal's room and ran into her own.

Krystal opened up the door, and then Katt walked through. "Okay. You hop in your shower, and I'll get in mine. If you're not out in fifteen minutes, I'm gonna pull you out." Katt said.

"Okay. Ready set go!" Krystal joked.

They showered and then put on their dresses. Katt had a lovely blue dress. It was a dark blue, nearly black halter top, it went to her knees, and it had sparkles on it. She had matching high-heels. Krystal wore the silver dress they'd bought for the occasion almost two weeks previous. It was a halter top as well, just slightly low-cut, and the end was diagonally cut. One end went nearly to her heels, and the other end was at her knees. The silver color outlined the pale-blue streaks she'd just got in her hair.

"Here, you need some eye shadow… and a hint of blush… mascara…" Katt hurriedly put makeup on Krystal's face. "There… now I need some too." She said as she glanced in the mirror. She quickly touched up her mascara and her lipstick, and then she ran a comb through hers and Krystal's hair. "There… you look fabulous!" Katt said to the blue vixen.

"Really?" Asked Krystal. "I wonder how Fox will react…"

"Probably he'll either pass out, or he'll do this…" Katt stared at Krystal with her mouth open as Krystal started giggling. There was a knock at Krystal's door. The girls stopped giggling.

"I'll get it. Wait in here and keep the door shut." Katt said. She walked to the door and opened it to see Fox. "Wow… foxy in a suit, how 'bout that?" She teased. "So, you're coming?"

"Yeah. I though this was Krystal's room…" Fox said.

"It is. She's not ready yet. You can come in and wait. Your lovely princess will be out in a few minutes." Katt said. Fox entered the room to have the door shut behind him. Katt returned to the bathroom.

"Fox is here. You can't leave until I have you perfect." Katt said. She messed with Krystal's hair a bit, and straightened out her dress. "There… oh, shoes!"

"I left them by the bed…" Krystal said.

Katt ran out of the bathroom and grabbed the shoes.

"Did you dye your hair?" Fox asked.

"Yes." Katt said shortly, hurrying back into the bathroom. "Here. Put on this necklace…" She took a silver choker necklace from her purse. "And…" Katt took a special piece of jewelry from her purse. It was silver, and had a light blue gem in the center.

Krystal gasped. "Oh, it's beautiful!" She exclaimed, taking it and attaching the ends to her headband. It hung down in the center of her forehead. "Oh, Katt, thank you!"

"You should be ready…" Katt said. She took her phone from her purse and set it to camera mode. "I'll get ready, and you wait for my signal to exit." Katt walked out of the bathroom and over to Fox. "You… move." She said, taking his shoulders and moving him over a few feet. She looked back toward the bathroom. "Perfect." She said, walking over to the door and holding up her phone. "Okay, Krys." She said.

Krystal slowly walked into the room. At the first glance, Fox's eyes widened and his mouth hung open. He was dumbstruck. _Wow… she's beautiful… _He continued to stare, taking in the sight before him. "Wow…" He murmured. Katt's phone quacked.

"Oops… I forgot to turn off the shutter tone…" She said, grinning uneasily.

Krystal twirled around. "What do you think?" She asked.

"Wow… you look absolutely beautiful…" Fox said.

Krystal smiled.

"Hey, foxy, you can blink now." Katt said.

Fox blushed, realizing that he hadn't blinked since Krystal had entered the room.

Katt looked at the clock on her phone. "It's seven… Fox, is Falco going, or is he just gonna whine about his leg?" She asked.

"I think he's going." Fox said. "Well, he said he was."

"Good. I'm taking Krystal, and you and Falco can take your own taxi." Katt said.

"Got it." Fox said. "I'll see you there."

(**About five minutes later**)

As the two females walked out of the elevator, the three guys that were standing by the desk turned and stared; open mouthed.

"Whoa… who are _they_!" the panther said.

"I dunno… but that blue chick is _hot_…" The dog said.

"No, I think that the other one is hot… the blue one has weird fur…" Said the tiger.

"Walk faster…" Katt mumbled. As they walked outside, the first male taxi driver slammed on his breaks and rolled down the window.

"Hi! Do you two need a ride?" The black and white cat said to Katt.

"Yes, thanks." She opened the door and the two females climbed inside.

"I'm going to my friend Hannah's party, but I think you two need a ride first." He said with a friendly smile.

"Hannah who?" Katt asked.

"Hannah Carter; she loves to throw parties." He said.

"No way! That's where we're going!" Krystal blurted out.

"Really? How cool. Hannah's house it is." The cat said.

"Hey, I know you. You've driven us around before." Krystal said.

"I sure have… I didn't recognize you two in those fancy clothes. By the way, I never did get your names… I'm Tom… Tom Price." He said.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Price." Katt said in mock courteousness.

"Mr. Price is way too formal for me… just call me Tom." He said.

"Sure… I'm Katt, and this is Krystal." Said Katt.

"Katt and Krystal… Pleasure to meet you both." He smiled at Katt in particular as he talked. "So… do you have dates for the dance?" He said.

"Yes, sorry to turn you down." Katt said.

"Aw… all the pretty girls are always taken." At that point he pulled into a driveway that had a few hover-cars already. "Looks like we're not the first ones here… but at least we're not late." Said Tom.

"Thanks for driving us… what do I owe you?" Katt asked.

"A dance." He smiled. "You can't pay me with money, I won't allow it. It was a pleasure to accompany the two loveliest Starfox members."

"That's very generous of you. I'll repay you with a dance. But I'm afraid I'll have to leave you for a few minutes. We have a surprise for Krystal's date." Katt put on a friendly smirk.

"Ok. See you inside, Katt." Tom said as he walked up and opened the door.

"Krystal, here's the plan." Katt said after Tom was inside. "I'll walk inside first, and then you walk in behind me and head straight for Fox. Ok?" Katt smiled.

"Ok… Some plan, I would've done that anyway… but I won't be the prettiest one there…" Krystal was acting nervous as she shrugged.

"Well, Fox should think so… if he doesn't, I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind. Anyway, let's go." Katt said. She gave Krystal a 'thumbs up' sign and walked inside. Krystal slowly walked up the stairs after her. The male animals stared with their jaws dropped, and the females gasped. Krystal blushed slightly and slowly made her way through the crowd.

"Hello everybody!" Katt said. "It's so great to be back! Oh, Hannah! Hi!" Katt said as she saw her dalmation friend. Krystal made her way through the crowd, in a different direction from Katt. She easily found Fox.

"Hi." She said. Fox blushed.

"Um… hi… wow…" He said. Just then, a coyote came up to Krystal and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hi! I'm Tyler… May I have this dance?" He said.

"Um… well… no, I… don't feel like dancing at this moment." Krystal said.

"Oh, well, okay then." Disappointed, he walked away.

"Um… I guess you don't want to dance then…" Fox said.

"Um… no, I-I was just saying that… I didn't want to dance with a stranger… I wouldn't mind dancing with you, Fox." Krystal said, trying to explain herself.

Just then, Katt walked up. "Come on, I want you to meet Hannah." She said, tugging Krystal's arm. The vixen shrugged back at Fox as the pink feline pulled her away. A group of girls surrounded Fox, begging for autographs.

"Please give us autographs!" One fox asked.

"I don't do autographs. Sorry." He said. The group all groaned in disappointment.

"Well, do you date? 'Cuz I'm free…" One girl said.

"No, I already have a girl, sorry to disappoint you." Fox said, a bit irritated.

"Well, if you have a girl, then where is she? 'Cuz I've never seen her." A sassy girl said.

"Right over… there." Fox said, and he pointed to Krystal, who was talking to Katt and Hannah, with a group of guys surrounding her and Katt.

"Oh… the pink one or the blue one?" Said the girl.

"The girl in the silver dress, the pink one's not my type." Fox said.

"I want to go talk to her…" Said an orange vixen. She swiftly made her way over to Krystal and Katt. "So you're Fox's girl." She said.

"Yes… I am." Said Krystal.

"Got a problem with that?" Said Katt.

"No… I just thought you might be jealous that this blue girl here is dating Fox McCloud." The fox said with a sarcastic voice.

"Me? Jealous of her?" Katt burst out laughing. "You think I like Fox? Boy! You should check who I am before you go thinking I like Fox. Fox, he's like my brother. I mean, gosh lady! Come on! I'm Katt Monroe, Fox's team member. I would never think of dating Fox. He's too much like a brother. I would feel totally weird dating him…" Katt's face became serious as she glanced at something behind the orange vixen. "Whoa… especially when _he_ is standing there… Oh… listen… I would _love_ to continue this conversation, but I have a hot guy waiting for me to talk to him. That guy is hot!" Katt said. She walked around the intruding vixen and took off toward the guy she saw in the corner.

"Ok…" She smirked at Krystal and walked away.

_Ok your self… what is her problem? Oh well… I keep missing Tony… and Kevin… who is that guy that Katt is talking to… he looks so familiar… fox… blue-green eyes… tall… oh well… _Krystal sighed. Fox made his way over to her, through the small crowd. Krystal saw a fox that caught her eye. She turned around, but he had already melted into the crowd. "Was that…?" She accidentally said aloud. _That guy… he looked like Tony… I should know better that to look for him… he's dead…_ She thought.

"What?" Fox asked.

"Oh… nothing… I… I thought that I saw someone that I knew, but, they died about a year ago." Krystal replied.

A grey wolf walked up to her. "Hey, do you mind if I take you home tonight?" He asked.

"Yes, I do mind. You're a complete stranger." Krystal replied.

"Well, we could get to know each other better…" He said, placing his hand on her hip. Krystal pushed his hand away.

"No thank you." She said, disgusted.

"I think you want to…" He said, moving closer to her. Krystal stepped back, away from him.

"No, I don't. I'd prefer it if you left me alone." She said.

The wolf reached out, placing his hand on her hip and beginning to move it back. Krystal pushed him away. "Leave me alone." She snapped. Fox tapped the guy on the shoulder.

"Hey, incase you can't hear, she said to leave her alone." He said. The wolf glared and walked away.

"Thanks, Fox." Krystal said.

"Hey, Fox! Get over here!" Falco shouted from across the room. Fox kissed Krystal's cheek before he moved off toward the avian.

"What? No, you can't. How did you know anything about that?" Katt's voice drifted over to the vixen.

"I told you …er other." The man's voice was quieter, and Krystal only heard a few words. Somehow, his voice seemed familiar, but she just couldn't place it.

"No, he's dead!" Katt's voice said.

"I ink I udt oh if I stead." The few words that drifted through the crowd didn't make much sense.

"Stop lying! What are you, a mind reader!?" Katt shouted.

"Oh, I sister is. Other's name scale uh, and I father's name as ark…" Krystal knew that she recognized his voice, as to whom or when, she couldn't figure it out. She turned and looked over to where Katt was, but the guy she was talking to had his back to the vixen.

"How… how do you know about all this?" Katt asked.

_What is wrong with Katt? She looks pale… That guy… who is he?! Katt's scared… I'd better see what's up…_ Krystal didn't hear what the guy had said while she was lost in thought. She walked over to Katt and tapped her on the shoulder. Katt gasped and jumped, dropping her champagne glass.

"Oh… K… Kry-! You… he's K-… I mean… your… b-…" With a moan, Katt slumped to the ground. Krystal tried to grab her friend, but she was too late.

"Katt!" Krystal gasped. The feline's face was ghostly white underneath her pink fur. "Help me get her out of the crowd." Krystal said to the stranger.

"Sure." He said.

_That voice! I have to recognize it from somewhere… but where? I know I know him… but how could I? Oh… I need to remember! _Krystal thought to herself. She helped the vulpine drag Katt into one of the back rooms of Hannah's house. They carefully laid her on a couch "I… who… who are you?" Krystal asked.

"Kryssy? I-is that you?" He asked.

"I…" Krystal stared. _How did he know my name?! Who is he! _The frightened vixen tried to answer the stranger. "How'd you know my name? Who _are_ you?!" She asked.

"It's me! Don't you recognize me?" He asked. At that moment about a hundred memories shot through Krystal's mind.

"Y-you! I-I… you're alive!? N… no…" Krystal felt her legs giving way, and she slumped to the ground.

"Krys! Kryssy!" The voice was barely heard through the vixen's ears… everything was spinning, and then, it all went black.

--

**Author's Notes: **Oooo… who is this mysterious per-… animal… that Krystal was talking to just before she passed out? You'll find out in the next chapter… Or so you hope… This is where everything changes. If you haven't guessed what's gonna happen, well… I can't help ya. Just read the next chapter. Oh, and btw I put my character summaries on my profile, if you want to read them or need to know more about Krystal's past.

_The guy_**:** What? How could they _not_ know who I am! It's so obvious I'm…

_Katt_**:** Shut up! They're not supposed to know. They'll probably think you're…

_Me_**: **How long are we going to keep this up? Just shut up before you give it away!

_Katt_**:** Good point. Come on k-… I mean… you… animal… dude… whatever! Just come on!

**Chapter 25: The Party, Part Two…** This is where the _real_ fun begins! We find out just who this strange guy is, and who's the guy that Krystal saw in the crowd _while_ Katt was talking to the other guy? Stay tuned to find out…


	25. Chapter 25: The Party, Part 2

**Chapter 25: The Party, Part 2: The Not-So-Mysterious Stranger**

"Krystal… Krystal… are you alright?" The voice broke through the silence. Krystal turned her head, trying to figure out where it was coming from. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up.

She was lying down on a couch in the living room where she'd met the animal who helped her carry Katt. Fox was leaning over her, and she didn't see them yet, but there were two others in the room.

"Krystal… are you ok?" Fox asked.

"Fox! What… Katt…" She sat up and looked around, and gasped as she saw the blue-green eyed fox sitting in a chair, and Katt sitting in a different one.

Krystal blinked. "K-Kevin? You… Y-you're alive! I… you were dead!"

"Nope… I'm still here. It's a wonder I survived, though. I knew that the meteor was coming, so I ran to alert the village. I told dad, and then it was too late. The meteor crashed, and a strange guy in a hood came out from behind it. I tried to stop him, but he was too much. He knocked me out. When I woke up, I was in the forest. I went back into the village, but there was nothing left. Dad was dead. I was forced to stay for a few months and build a new ship, since the first one was stolen. And, I think I know who the cloaked guy is. It's not safe to tell you here, so we'll have to go somewhere away from here. I don't know who his accomplice is, though." Kevin said. "It's good to see you alive, sis."

"Wait… Krystal, he's your brother?" Fox asked. Krystal nodded. Fox wondered why they looked so different.

"So, how did you get here, Katt?" Kevin asked.

"Well… you know how your ship was gone?" She asked. Kevin nodded. "Well… I kind of… borrowed it… and crashed it." Katt said with a slightly fearful smile.

"Oh, great… The one ship I built that actually worked right. And Katt crashes it. Great…" Kevin said, slightly irritated. "Oh, Krys. Um… I think Tony survived too. I don't know if you'll still…" He began.

"He did… but he died." Krystal said sadly, interrupting her brother.

"What? That's impossible. I just saw him out there a little bit ago." Kevin said.

"No… That couldn't have been Tony… He died, I saw him die." Krystal insisted. _He died in my arms…there's no way he's alive…_ she thought to herself.

"Okay… maybe it was just someone who looked like him, I dunno." Kevin said in surrender.

"I saw him too, and at first I was confused, but he must just be a look alike." Krystal said.

"And sound alike…" Kevin mumbled.

"Hm?" Krystal asked.

"Nothing… just thinking out loud." He said. An uncomfortable silence filled the room… _If I don't think out loud, Krys will read my thoughts…_

_Strange… I could have sworn he said that that guy sounded like Tony too… But, that guy can't possibly be Tony… I was there when he died… He died to save me… I never knew that he could do anything unselfish, but he gave his life so that I could live… Perhaps it's his brother Connor… but I know it's not Tony… I'll never forget his last words…_ Krystal tried not to look like she was about to cry as she remembered what had happened to one of her close friends.

_Exactly who is Tony? And what is going on here? Krystal said that she was the only survivor of her home planet… and suddenly her brother and some other guy named Tony were survivors too… I'm so confused…_ Fox sighed.

_Ooh, busted! Fox almost found out about Tony! Poor Krystal… I'd hate to be her right now… and if and when Fox ever asks her about Tony! She'll have to admit that part of her heart lies somewhere else… What happened to Tony? How did he die? I'm rather confused… but, oh well…_ Katt could barely hide the look on her face that jokingly said, 'I feel sorry for you.'

"So… how… Katt, I've always been wondering. How do you know Krystal?" Fox asked.

"When I left the team, I just kept flying. I started running low on fuel, and then I saw a planet… Krystal's planet. I started to fly into the atmosphere, but all I saw was an empty beach and a seemingly endless forest. I started to turn around, but then something happened. My shields vanished, and the whole engine exploded. I ejected at the last minute. Krystal was at the beach, and I was all thinking I'd be stuck there with a bunch of natives who couldn't speak my language. The thing that really shocked me was that Krystal could understand me and I could understand her. Thanks to you, Kevin." Katt said.

"Yeah…" Kevin blushed lightly. "I built a ship and took off one day, and I learned a new language. I came back and taught Krystal, and then I left again." He said. Fox nodded, finally understanding what had happened.

"_So, Kev… do you still have that crush on Katt?_" Krystal asked through telepathy.

"_What?! How did you… why you little…_" Kevin glared at her.

Krystal was secretly transmitting the conversation to Katt, who looked as if she might burst into laughter at any given second. "_Come on, admit it… You've liked her since you met her…_"

"_Okay, fine… I like her a lot… She's really hot… But I know she doesn't like me too, so why should I tell her? Just to have her laugh? You'd better not EVER tell her about this conversation…_" Kevin gave her a 'don't you _dare_' look.

"_I won't tell her… I promise…_" Krystal grinned.

Katt stifled a laugh. Fox was quite unaware of what was happening. He looked at Katt, then Kevin, then Krystal, trying to figure out what was going on.

"_Good… if you did, I'd have to swat you like dad used to…_" Kevin threatened with a playful look.

Katt got a mental image of Krystal leaning over Kevin's lap while he spanked her like a little kid, and burst into laughter.

"What?" Kevin asked aloud.

Katt continued laughing. She pointed at Kevin. "You…" She managed to say before being caught up in her laughter fit.

"What's so fun-…?" Kevin looked at Katt, and she could almost see the light bulb clicking on above his head. His expression changed to anger and annoyance as he turned to Krystal. "You! You promised you wouldn't tell Katt!" He shouted at his sister.

"I didn't! You did!" Krystal said, grinning.

"Let me guess… you used your dumb power! Why do you do that?" Kevin snapped.

Krystal's expression turned serious. "It was just a joke… I didn't think it meant…"

"Yeah, you didn't think. Think before you act! Isn't that what dad always said?" He barked out.

"How would you know? You were never around… even when dad died. _I_ was there when he died! That's why he gave _me_ his staff… not you! You left _minutes_ before mom died. But _I_ was there! You weren't there when Tony died… I had to watch him die because _you_ _weren't_ _there_." Krystal had stood up, and tears crept up to her eyes. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat in an attempt to not cry.

"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have snapped at you, Kryssy. I just get so irritated when you trick me like that." Kevin said calming down. There were a few seconds of silence.

"Hey, come on! We're at a party! Parties are supposed to be _fun_. Let's forget this all right now and just go have fun." Katt said, trying to lift the mood a bit.

"Katt's right. The past is past. Let's focus on right now." Kevin said. Krystal forced a smile and nodded. Katt and Kevin left the room, but Fox and Krystal remained.

"Are you okay?" Fox asked the vixen.

"Yeah… it's just so painful to carry around all those memories… every time I've almost forgotten them, someone or something brings them up again." Krystal asked.

Fox looked down. _It must be so hard for her to live like that… I know that it will hurt her more, but I want to know who Tony is… I'll ask her now so that I don't have to bring it up again some other time…_ Fox sighed, and then he took a deep breath. "Who… Who was Tony?" He asked.

"Um… he was a… uh… close friend… he hardly ever did anything unless it benefited himself, until the day he died. I went to Sauria with Kyte, and, somehow, he was there. The SharpClaw imprisoned me in a dungeon at the CloudRunner Fortress, and he was the guard. He said that they hired him and were paying him a lot… but, he helped me out. As soon as we had exited the dungeon, the SharpClaw saw us and chased us until we were cornered. One SharpClaw lunged at me, but he pushed me into one of the broken down Windlifts, and tried to fight the SharpClaw himself. I got up to fight too, and the last SharpClaw…" Tears filled Krystal's eyes. "…stabbed him with its ax… I was able to kill it, but it was too late to save Tony. He died… in my arms…" A tear ran down Krystal's face, and she sniffled. "He mumbled something just before he passed away, but… I don't know what it was."

Fox nodded. "I'm sorry for asking you… I thought that it would be better to ask you now, so that I wouldn't have to bring it up a different time." He said.

"I understand." She wiped a tear off of her face. "Katt's right, let's go have fun." She wiped her eyes. "Do I look okay?"

"You look absolutely beautiful." Fox said. He blushed slightly. "Did I just say that out loud?" Krystal grinned and nodded.

"You certainly did." She said with a bit of a giggle. "C'mon, let's go." The couple walked out of the room, happier than they had been in the last few minutes.

Katt ran up to Krystal and grabbed her hand. "C'mon, let's dance!" She said over the music, dragging the vixen through the crowd. Krystal smiled back at Fox, gesturing for him to join them.

Krystal smoothly danced to the beat, simply angelic to Fox. The lighting in the main room was rather dim, just light enough to ensure that no one would have trouble finding their way about. The lights in the ceiling changed colors and moved about in a previously patterned motion. The way Krystal's dress flowed gently around her legs and the way her hair was softly tossed about when she moved, she seemed an ethereal beauty to Fox.

Katt had a big grin on her face while she teased Kevin. "Come on! What, are you too chicken to dance with a pretty girl?" She asked. Kevin rolled his eyes, obviously defeated. They all danced to the fast beat song, expertly avoiding other animals. Finally, the song ended. Out of breath, Katt slumped on a nearby chair.

"Phew! I'm wiped… I need to get out more often…" She said. Krystal laughed, sitting on the chair's arm.

"I haven't had that much fun in ages…" She said. Fox took her shoulders and gave her a quick kiss. Krystal giggled. "Fox! You silly, we're in public…" She said.

"What, I can't kiss my girl in front of anyone?" He asked jokingly.

Katt got up and walked over toward where Hannah was. Hannah was waving like crazy for her to hurry, and she looked quite hyper. Krystal smiled and shook her head. She was about to slide down into the chair, when Kevin practically flew into it. He landed with a thump, shaking the chair. Krystal slid into his lap.

"Kevin!" She cried, playfully shoving him.

"Oof! Hey, I'm just trying to sit down and I get my sister thrown on me…" He complained. Krystal stood up.

"Well, don't come and sit where I'm about to sit, goose head." She teased.

"Kryssy, I haven't been able to do pranks on anyone since I left Cerinia. I've got a few years piled up…" Kevin joked. Fox grinned.

"You don't look much like brother and sister, but you sure act like it." He said.

At the same time, Krystal and Kevin both gave Fox the same sarcastic look. He blinked. For that one second, they had the exact same expression. "Okay, now you're just freaking me out." He said. The two siblings laughed. Before Fox even knew what was happening, a teenage girl cheetah in a strapless dress walked quickly up to him and kissed him on the lips. Just as suddenly, she melted back into the crowd.

The embarrassed vulpine's face began to turn red.

"What was that all about?" Krystal asked, staring wide-eyed.

Fox chuckled, nervously wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "Uh… I have no clue…" He managed to say.

Krystal smiled. "Well, she doesn't have my permission to kiss you." She said, stepping to him and putting her arms around his neck.

"Fine by me…" Fox said, kissing her.

Kevin groaned and put his hand over his eyes. "Uhg… get a room…" He mumbled. The vulpine couple broke away and laughed, seeing his immature reaction. "Are you done?" He asked, still covering his face with his hand.

"Yes, don't worry… you're not gonna get cooties by looking at us." Krystal teased.

"Now that was just mean." Kevin said.

"Aw… wittle baby Kev's got his feewings hurt?" Krystal asked in a teasing baby voice.

Kevin glared at her. "Keep it up, Kryssy." He said sarcastically.

"Aw… poor baby…" Krystal quickly took a step behind Fox as Kevin stood up with an angry look.

"Oh, you're hiding now? You little… You're gonna get it." Kevin threatened.

"Hey, Krys! Come here!" Katt shouted from across the room. Krystal smiled at her brother and quickly headed through the crowd, saved from continuing the fight with him.

On the way toward where Katt was, she accidentally bumped into someone who seemed to be in a hurry. "Ow…" She said in a low voice.

"Sorry…" He mumbled. Krystal stopped short, and her smile disappeared. When she'd heard the voice, a strange, tingly feeling went up her spine, and a flashback of her friend's last words returned to her mind.

"_I'm sorry…_" She could see his face, as clear as day. She quickly turned around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the stranger, but he was hurrying toward the hallway.

She stood frozen for a few seconds, trying to focus. Her train of thought had momentarily derailed. She tried to shake it off, and took a step toward Katt. She froze. There was the voice again. She could barely hear anything except for his voice.

"Hey… I've been looking for you. We can't do this. I'm sorry, but I just can't stop thinking about her. Until I'm positive that she's dead, I can't love anyone." Krystal tried to listen to something else, but the conversation between the mysterious stranger and some girl were all she could hear.

"She probably died long ago. There's probably nothing left of her. Why can't you be with me?" The girl asked.

"You don't know that she's dead. It's more than likely that she survived the destruction of our planet, and if she did, then she's probably still alive. I can't love you. Every time I look at you, all I can see is her face. I can't in good conscience be with you. I'm sorry. Goodbye." He said. At that point, Krystal was extremely freaked out.

Katt shouted at her, but the sounds around the vixen were simply nonexistent.

All she could do was stand there, remembering her past. Then, of all times, she heard it. She knew that by some means, he was alive.

"Tony, please! Don't do this. I love you. I don't want to lose you." The girl cried after the stranger. Time nearly stopped as Krystal heard the next words that came from his mouth.

"I know that she's out there somewhere. I don't love you. I never did. I'm still in love with Krystal."

--

**Author's Notes:** …………… (Silence) ……………

_Katt_**:** Um… okay. I guess the author isn't here. Anyway… um… (reads the script) _What?!_ No… Kev, you're on. I… can't deal with this. (Hands script to Kevin, walks off)

_Kevin_**:** Uh… I can't really… (looks at you) um… hi… we're kinda in a crisis right now. Go ahead and wait for the next chapter… I'm gonna go kill the author… (walks off screen…several crashes…a scream…mccloudfan50 runs past, followed by an angry, yelling Kevin…a chair flies across the room, breaking against the wall)

_Katt_**:** HEY!! Break it up!! (Another crash…a table flies into the screen…static…all goes black…)


	26. Chapter 26: The Party, Part 3

**Chapter 26: The Party, Part 3: Deep Secrets**

Krystal was so shocked, that she couldn't move, talk, or barely breathe. _Tony's alive! No, how could he be? He died… he was dead… If he's alive, then that means that I've broken a promise… I can't run into him again, I have to avoid him… no matter what…_ The vixen's hearing finally returned to normal, and she could hear Katt talking.

"Krystal… what's going on? Are you alright?" She asked.

"Yes… I… No… I don't know… I'm so confused… I…" Krystal stopped. "I heard him… he's alive…" she said breathlessly.

"Who?" Katt asked.

"Tony!" Krystal exclaimed.

"_What_!?" Katt blurted out.

The vixen nodded. "I heard him talking… he was… he was talking to some girl, telling her they couldn't be together because he was still in love… with… he said my name…" She said.

"Oh, come on… it was probably just someone else, completely coincidental." Katt said.

Krystal shook her head. "It was his voice. He bumped into me on his way over to the girl. He said, 'sorry', and it was definitely his voice. I'll never forget it. I know it was him." She insisted.

"Krystal, you're assuming things because Kevin brought it up, and merely the fact that Kevin is here alive is mind blowing. Calm down, and have fun. I wanted to have you taste this. It's… weird, go ahead." Katt said, holding out a cup with a fiery colored liquid in it.

Krystal gave her a puzzled look, and then took it. She slowly sipped it. "It doesn't taste like anything…" She mused.

Katt laughed. "That's what I said! Hannah swears it tastes like cherries."

The dalmation scoffed. "It does! I'm just apparently the only one who can taste it." She said.

"Yeah, right. I don't think you can taste anything." Katt said.

Krystal smiled, forgetting her encounter for the moment. "Hannah, she's right. I don't taste anything."

"Oh, whatever. So, Katt tells me you're a telepath. What am I thinking?" Hannah asked.

Krystal gave her a suspicious look. "Well… you're trying to think about the cherry taste in that drink, but really your thoughts are on… the 'hot' guy whose lap I fell on a few minutes ago." She said.

"Wow… you're amazing." Hannah said.

"Oh, and by the way, that 'hot' guy is my brother." Krystal stated.

"What?" Hannah asked.

"His name is Kevin. He loves pretty girls with the ability to stand up for themselves and fight if they need to. He also talks in his sleep and is often found sleepwalking around his house." Krystal said. "And, as far as I know, he doesn't have a girlfriend, but he has his eyes of a certain pink friend of ours."

Hannah gaped in disbelief. "Wow…"

"You shoulda seen what she did to Falco. It turns out that he had seven girls at once in his senior year." Katt said.

Krystal was silent for a few seconds. "Omigosh… it also turns out he still sucks his thumb at night!" She laughed.

"Falco?!" Katt burst into laughter. "I can just see him doing that…."

"Excuse me…" A tall fox bumped into Katt on his way across the room. He glanced at the three girls and began to walk away, but he stopped short and turned around. "Katt?!"

Katt gawked. "Oh… my… gawd…" She said in a weak voice.

The fox turned to the blue vixen. "K-Krystal? Is that you?" He asked, his expression softening.

"I… Tony… you… you're alive… but…" Krystal stared at him in amazement, a glint of fear coming into her eyes.

"Krystal… I knew you survived… somehow, I knew." He said.

"Yes, I did… but… I thought you died on Sauria…" Krystal said.

"What? I've never even _been_ to Sauria…" Tony said, confused.

"But then… how…? Connor. I-it must have been Connor who died…" She said, looking down.

"Connor? S-so my brother's dead?" Tony asked.

"Um… I'm confused. What's going on?" Katt asked.

"When I was on Sauria, Connor was stabbed and killed by a SharpClaw… You and him look so alike, I guess I couldn't tell you apart." Krystal said.

"I'm sorry that happened. But I'm so glad to see you again." Tony smiled, reaching out and touching her shoulder. Krystal smiled weakly. Fox was walking right toward her.

"Hey… is everything alright?" He asked. Krystal winced.

_Oh, no… this can't happen…_ She thought. "Y-yeah… I… um… Fox, this is Tony… Tony, this is Fox." Krystal wished that Fox had stayed on the other side of the room.

As the two foxes shook hands, Krystal looked over at Katt and mouthed out 'help'. Katt shrugged, and then Hannah pulled her arm and guided her over to a group of animals. She mouthed out 'sorry' as she disappeared into the crowd.

"Tony…" Fox mumbled his name, remembering what Krystal had said about her old friend. _Didn't she say that he died? How can he be here if he's dead?_ He thought.

"Fox… McCloud?" Tony asked, recognizing him from the news. Fox nodded. "You're that mercenary, right? The one who saved the Lylat system from Andross…?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, I'm the leader of the Starfox team." Fox said.

Krystal silently took a deep breath, and slowly let it out. _Maybe things will be all right after all… maybe they just won't ask each other where they know me from, and I'll never run into Tony again…_ There was a tiny flame of hope inside Krystal.

"So… how do you know Krystal?" Tony asked.

Krystal grimaced. She let her head down slightly, knowing that in a few minutes, the two males she loved the most would probably be angry at her for the rest of her life.

"Well… I was sent to Sauria to save the planet, and Krystal was trapped inside a strange… thing; I dunno how to explain it. Rescuing her was part of the mission, and then I asked if she wanted to join the team. So, Krystal's a part of the team." Fox said.

Krystal sighed in relief. Maybe there was still a chance…

"How do _you_ know Krystal?" Fox asked.

"Oh, no…" She groaned, putting her head in her hands. The last bit of hope that had remained vanished.

"Um… I don't know if Krystal ever mentioned me… We've known each other since we were really young, but we were separated when the meteor hit Cerinia. I came here to Corneria, looking for her, and… here she is." Tony said. Just then, the girl who Tony had just dumped walked up.

"Prior commitment?! You said that you couldn't see me anymore because your heart was still with that 'girl from your past', and now you're over here talking to this girl? Bullsh-! I can't believe I trusted you, you jerk!" Krystal gasped. The girl slapped Tony in the face with a great deal of force, and stomped off.

"Thanks… just what I needed." Tony said sarcastically. Krystal winced slightly. She couldn't bring herself to look at Fox.

"That had to hurt… are you alright?" She asked Tony.

"Yeah… I'm fine." He said.

"What was she talking about?" Fox asked curiously.

"Y-you're sure you're okay? I could get you some ice if you want." Krystal said, hoping that they would change the subject.

"Krystal, I said I'm okay." Tony said. He turned to Fox. "What'd you say?"

"What was… that girl talking about?" Fox asked.

"Fox, that's not your business… or mine… we shouldn't ask things like that…" Krystal said, still not looking at him.

"Actually, it is your business, Krystal." Tony said.

"No, it's not. It's your past, not mine. You don't have to share it with anyone, ever." A bit of fear crept into her eyes as she tried to give Tony the hint not to talk about it.

"Actually, it is your past. And since it's also mine, I can share it if I want to. Fox asked me a question, and it would be rude not to answer it." Tony said. "But first, I'm gonna ask him a few questions." Krystal clenched her teeth and glared. "Do you care for Krystal?" Tony asked.

"Tony, don't… you have no right to ask that…" Krystal's fear had changed to anger.

"And he doesn't have to answer me." Tony countered, and then he looked at Fox.

"Yeah… I care for Krystal… a lot…" Fox said, confused.

"Would you love her even if she hurt you deeply?" Tony asked. Krystal glared at him harder. 'No don't do it' she mouthed.

"Yeah…" Fox said, getting a bit nervous.

"Well, then I'll answer your question." Tony said.

"I need to talk to you. Alone." Krystal said. "Fox, he'll answer your question later."

"Oh, what's that? You're afraid that a certain someone might find out what happened between us?" Tony said those words just as Fox took a step away. He hesitated, and then walked a few feet away, just to the point where he was still barely able to hear what they would say.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Krystal asked.

"Telling him the truth." Tony replied.

"Why? Because you're jealous?" The vixen was extremely angry.

"No, because you broke a promise." The vulpine replied.

"I didn't break the promise. I thought you… you died. I watched as your twin brother died in my arms. The commitment was to love each other and no-one else, until one of us died. What was I supposed to think? That you'd just show up out of nowhere? I thought that _you_ died. I didn't realize it was your brother." Krystal was on the edge of tears.

"It was probably… _obviously_ Connor. Here _I_ was, saving myself for the woman I love, only to find out that she's found someone else to replace me, all because my _brother_ died." Tony said.

"Maybe I found someone else to mend my broken heart. Did you ever think of that?" Krystal asked.

"It may have crossed my mind." He replied.

"You didn't die, and you didn't say that to me. Therefore, you couldn't have meant it." Krystal said.

"Say what? I don't even know what you're talking about. Are you through?" Tony asked.

"Yes. I'm through with you. And I wish I had never made that commitment. I don't even know what I was thinking. As far as _I'm_ concerned, the commitment no longer exists." Krystal turned and walked away, frustrated and angry. She sat down on one of the stools at the counter and rested her forehead in her hands. She could make out Tony's voice, and then Fox's voice, but she couldn't hear what they were saying. She turned and looked over, and Tony was talking to Fox. She put her head in her hands and moaned. "No, what have I done…" She mumbled.

She could barely hear Fox and Tony mumbling behind her. After a few minutes, both of them came up to her.

"Krystal, I think we need to talk this over in private." Tony said. Krystal nodded. Tony, Krystal, and Fox walked outside into the dark and stood on the sidewalk. "Fox and I have come to an agreement. You choose which one of us that you love, and the other one of us has to suck it up and live with it." Krystal bit her lip and looked down. She slowly nodded. After a bit of concentrating, she was reading his thoughts. _I know that she's gonna choose me… Fox isn't even good enough for her, and I could protect her better… Fox isn't as strong as me, and he's probably too shy to even kiss her… I'll get her, no doubt…_

_I've heard enough_. Krystal thought. Then she tuned into Fox's thoughts.

_She'll probably pick Tony… I'm not good enough for her… I only wish that I was good enough, but I'm not… Tony's better than me… He's stronger, taller… better than me, and he's not as shy… I love Krystal, and I wish that she could see how much I'd give for her love in return… I guess we just weren't meant to be…_ Fox looked down solemnly, hiding his emotions as deep as he could. He remained staring at a spot on the ground, wishing that he was that spot instead of himself.

Krystal let one tear form in her eyes. _You are good enough for me, Fox…_ The single tear slowly made its way along her soft face, then falling to the ground. She sighed. "I'm going back to the hotel. Goodnight." She walked around the two foxes and back into the house. She easily picked out the pink feline and walked up to her. "Katt, I'm done, I'm going back to the hotel to get some rest." She said.

"Oh no... What happened?" Katt asked in a low voice.

"Tony talked to Fox, and now I have to choose between them. I'm too tired to do anything right now. I just need some sleep." Krystal said.

Katt looked over the vixen's shoulder. "Tom just now walked out the door, so see if he'll take you back. Hurry!" Katt said. Krystal nodded and walked swiftly through the crowd. She ran out the door, just in time to see Tom start up his car. She waved her arms and ran toward the car.

"Tom!! Wait!!" She cried. The cat stopped the car and rolled down the window.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I need a ride back to the hotel where you picked me and Katt up... you don't mind do you?" She asked.

"No… It's right on my way, hop in." Tom rolled up the window and waited for Krystal to get into the car. He looked out the window as he heard voices. Tony came up to the car and was arguing with Krystal about something. She opened the door, ready to enter the car.

"No. I'm going back to the hotel. I _have_ a separate room, if that's what you're worried about, okay? Just leave me alone. You've made this bad enough." Krystal said. She got into the car and shut the door. "Please hurry… I don't want to talk to him."

"No problem." Tom stepped on the gas and the car sped off. "It's probably none of my business, and you don't have to answer me if you don't want to, but what was that all about?" He asked.

Krystal sighed. "It's so complicated… I really don't want to go into detail right now, sorry." She said.

"It's okay, I understand. It's your life. You don't have to share it with anyone." The cat said.

Just then, there were some really bright lights from behind the taxi.

"Oh, come on, buddy! I'm going as fast as I can… Stop tail gaiting me!" Tom said, as if he could talk to the car behind him. "I'm gonna take a detour so that we don't get blinded by 'Mister Impatient Bright Lights' behind us." Tom pulled off the main road and went down a side street. The car followed them.

Krystal turned around and looked at the car, to see if she could tell who was driving. She held up her hand to block the glare from the lights, but all she saw from the driver were two reddish, glowing eyes. She gasped as she turned around. "Oh, no… no… what am I going to do?" She quietly asked herself.

"Huh? What did you say?" Tom asked. "We're almost to the hotel."

"Don't stop there! If you do, he'll find me! I don't know what he'll do!" Krystal cried.

"Who… that guy you were arguing with?" Tom asked.

"No… I wish it was though… the person behind us… He killed my father and destroyed my planet, and he wants to kill _me_! He'll stop at nothing to make sure that I won't save my planet…" The vixen was terrified. "No… this night's just getting worse and worse!" Krystal was on the edge of tears.

"Great, so now we have some insane murderer behind us? How bad can this get!" Tom began to worry too. Suddenly, there was a crashing noise and the car jolted. Krystal shrieked. "He hit me! That jerk! I ought to give him a piece of my mind… how dare he hit my car!" The cat yelled.

"Don't stop!! He'll kill us!" Krystal exclaimed. The car behind them hit the taxi again. Krystal turned around, fearful of what might happen. The look in the cloaked figure's eyes was bone chilling. He backed off a lot, and then sped way up, almost hitting the car again. Krystal screamed and put her hands up in front of her. A blue force field appeared, preventing the two cars from colliding again. "Tom, speed up!"

"I can't… I'll get pulled over by a cop." He said.

"Cop, or _him_!?" Krystal asked.

"I see your point… Here we go…" Tom pushed down hard on the gas pedal, leaving the black car behind them. Then, the cloaked fox sped up too.

"No!!" Krystal cried. Suddenly, blue and red lights began flashing, and a cop pulled out from a street. The black car sped up and zoomed past the taxi. Tom slammed on the brakes and pulled over. The cop sped past them, chasing after the cloaked figure. The two animals sat silently in the car for a few seconds, breathing deeply with relief. "Thank you…" Krystal said.

"Yeah… I just hope that cop doesn't come back looking for me…" Tom said. He restarted his engine and pulled back onto the street. Then he took a side street back onto the main road, and headed back toward the hotel.

Krystal got out of the car, and so did Tom. He went straight to his bumper, which was dented.

"Aw, crap. I just got this car fixed from the last guy who hit me… I can't believe it." He said.

"How much do I owe you?" Krystal asked.

"Aw, forget it. Just go ahead and get some rest, okay?" He told Krystal.

"Thanks. I hope that never happens again. I'm so sorry!" She said. Tom wasn't paying attention. He just kept mumbling about his car… She walked into the hotel and straight to the elevators. Once she was on her floor, she walked to her room and pressed her thumb on the pad, opening the door. She went inside and took off her dress, replacing it with a t-shirt. She flopped onto the bed, and then she burst into tears and cried herself to sleep.

--

**Title of ****100****th**** Review**** goes to**: LilGstryker

**Title of ****Longest Review**** goes to**: FoxMC

**Author's Notes:** So… this is the turn. The beginning of it, anyway… I took a long time posting previous chapters because I've been working on this part. I'm sure you all have your ideas of who Krystal's gonna choose, but _how_? That's why you'll have to keep reading.

_Tony_**:** You all know she'll choose me, right?

_Fox_**: **Puhleeeease! You? You're such a jer-! (-Gets punched in the jaw-) OW!! Why you… (-is preparing to sock Tony in the face-)

_Tony_**:** Bring it, _loser_!

_Me_**: **Okay, break it u-…! (-Is clonked in the face-) Ow… they broke it… (-Has a black eye…they keep fighting-)

**Chapter 27: **Okay, screw the titles. I'll put them on when I'm ready to post the chapter. So there. Krystal's got to choose between… (-Ducks as Tony throws Fox across the room-) Fox and… (-Winces as Fox throws a chair at Tony-) She gets to choose between Fox and Tony… Problem is, they're fighting over her, and each is trying to win her affection. (-Fox leaps across the room and tackles Tony, trying to strangle him-) They also made a bet on the side, but… what bet? (-Tony socks Fox in the face, then picks him up and hurls him through the door-) Krystal doesn't know about it. Things get more complicated as… (-Fox comes back through the door carrying a missile launcher-) Well, I'll let you read it for yourself… (-There's an explosion…the lights go out-) Uh, guys! Can you keep it down? (-Something shatters-) Guys?! HEY!! (-Is tackled by someone…there are several crashes, slapping sounds, and yells of pain…finally, silence…followed by an evil laugh…red eyes glow in the darkness and come closer to you…a fox's face is dimly lit by his red eyes…he takes the screen and crushes it…then, static and silence…-)


	27. Chapter 27: Decisions, Plans, & Schemes

**Chapter 27: Decisions, Plans, and Schemes**

"Krystal! Look out!" The fox said. One SharpClaw lunged for Krystal, but he pushed her out of the way, taking the blow himself.

"Oof!" Krystal dropped her staff and fell backward, right into a broken windlift. Stunned by the way she'd landed, she didn't realize what had happened. The SharpClaw were all rather confused, so the vulpine attempted to knock out a few more. He grabbed Krystal's staff and began to fight.

_No… not this dream… I hate this dream… any dream besides this one…_

He was a good fighter, and he killed all but one SharpClaw. Krystal watched in horror as that SharpClaw took his axe and slashed the fox across his stomach. Stunned, he dropped the staff and stumbled backwards, clutching his wound. He stumbled to the ground, grimacing in pain.

_No… please, not this dream…_

"NO!!" Krystal screamed as she jumped out of the windlift. She picked up her staff and ran toward the SharpClaw. She grabbed one end of it and slammed the opposite end against the SharpClaw's head, knocking him over. She then took the staff and twirled it on one hand, and then she plunged it into the SharpClaw's stomach. She pulled it out and slammed it against the side of his head, knocking him out. As soon as she had, she ran to her friend. "Please, don't die! Come on, say something!"

_Come on… wake up… no… not this dream… I don't want to remember it…_

"Krystal, I-I'm sorry… I never meant to betray you. Krystal, it's me…" He mumbled weakly.

"Tony? No… I-it can't be…"

_You're right… it couldn't have been…if only you hadn't jumped to conclusions…_

"No, how could I let this happen to you, Tony? No!!" Krystal cried.

_I'm sorry, Connor… I should have known that it was you…_

"Krystal, p-please forgive me for what I did…" The wounded vulpine was barely able to speak.

"I-I already have. I forgave you for that so long ago! Please, forgive me for letting _this_ happen to _you_." She said, tears running down her face.

_Not Tony… Connor… why couldn't I see that? How could I be so blind!? I've got to wake up…_

"I-I have, Krystal." Connor was growing weaker by the second as they shared their last moments together. He winced in pain as he slowly began to fade into an endless slumber.

_No! Wake up… no… don't let this happen! Not again, I can't take it…_

"Oh, Tony. What have I done? How can this happen?" Krystal let more tears run down her face.

"A… A'm dek Tony…" He mumbled it so low that Krystal couldn't understand him at the time.

_A'm dek Tony… I should have known… He said it, clear as day_._ 'I'm not Tony'… Oh, I need to wake up! COME ON!! WAKE UP ALREADY!!_

"I'm sorry… A-A celo oei… meho kxud oei nacc oloh bden…" Connor barely was able to say that last sentence before he passed away.

Krystal forced her eyes to open, ending the dream. "Why did that have to happen? Why can't I just forget it! It's not fair. Why does it have to repeat itself, every time I've almost forgotten it?" She asked aloud. Tears in her eyes, she turned and sobbed into her pillow. For the second time that night, she cried herself to sleep.

(**A few hours later**)

Krystal turned over, quite annoyed by the amount of light in the room. She sat up and looked around. A pain in her side made her look down. The bed and her shirt had blood on them. She gasped, realizing that her wound was bleeding. She quickly got up and ran to the kitchen. She got some damp paper towels and pressed them on the wound after removing the healing patch, which didn't seem to be healing anything. After it didn't seem to be bleeding, she washed her hands.

A knock at the door startled her. She looked at the clock, thinking it was too early for someone to come over. It was 12:23.

_It looks like I missed the free breakfast…_ She thought, walking over and opening the door. Tony was there.

"Why are you here?" She asked.

"I… what happened!?" He asked, seeing the blood on her shirt.

"Huh? Oh… I was wounded a few days ago, but it hasn't healed yet. It was bleeding when I woke up. I didn't get a chance to change my shirt. How did you find me?" She asked.

"Well, Katt mentioned that you were all staying at the Corneria Inn, and I had to bargain with the receptionist for your room number. You're sure you're okay? That looks bad…" He said.

"I'm fine. I just need to put a bandage on it… it's not bleeding at the moment. What do you mean you had to 'bargain' with the receptionist?" Krystal inquired.

"Oh… about that. You owe me fifty bucks." Tony said.

"What?!" Krystal exclaimed.

"I'm kidding. Can I come in?" He asked.

"Sure…" Krystal said, opening the door all of the way and letting him in. He couldn't help looking at her long sleek legs as he passed her.

"Nice." He said. The shirt she was wearing was just long enough to cover her hips. Krystal gasped, looking down.

"Tony!" She exclaimed, tugging the shirt down a few extra inches. He chuckled.

"What? You're the one who didn't wear pants." He said.

Krystal scoffed. "Well you don't have to stare." She said.

"How can I help it? You're so beautiful." He said.

Krystal sighed, walking to her closet and picking up a pair of sweatpants. She couldn't help smiling slightly. She pulled on her sweat pants and turned to Tony. "I need to change my shirt, now don't look." She said. Tony gave her a look that sarcastically said 'yeah, right'. "Turn around, and no peeking." She said, taking another shirt from the closet. Tony sighed and shook his head, and then he respectfully turned away from her. She quickly took off her shirt and replaced it with the other one in a total of five seconds. Then she stood with a smirk, watching Tony.

He stood still for a few seconds, and then he turned his head to the side and gave her a confused look.

Krystal smirked, pointing at him. "You looked!" She said accusingly.

"Oh, come on! You were already dressed!" He justified.

"But you looked! You didn't know I was already dressed!" She said. Tony walked over to her and picked her up, swinging her over his shoulder as if she weighed less than a feather. She shrieked as he carried her across the room and spun around in a circle. He tossed her a foot in the air and then caught her like a princess, with one arm behind her knees and the other supporting her back.

Krystal laughed, putting her arms around his neck. He gently returned her to the ground, and then he leaned toward her for a kiss. Krystal smiled and moved a few feet away before he got the chance.

"So, why'd you come?" She asked.

"I thought we'd catch up a bit. I mean, we haven't seen each other since we were on Cerinia." Tony said.

Krystal looked down sadly. "So, it was your brother that died?" She asked.

"No-good little Connor?" Tony asked. "Must have been."

"He wasn't no-good. He saved my life!" Krystal said, becoming angry.

"He was no-good to me. All he did was confuse others and get me in trouble." Tony said.

"Maybe he confused me when he died, but now I know. He mumbled something just before he died, and now I realize that he said 'I'm not Tony'. He tried to tell me, but I wasn't listening." Krystal said.

"So, how'd he die? Of stupidity?" Tony asked. He was now getting angry as well.

"He died to save me! He pushed me out of the way and he was hit instead." Krystal was now on the edge of tears.

"Ha! He just wanted to get credit for saving you." Tony said. Krystal lost her temper and slapped him.

"Liar!" She shouted.

"What?!" Krystal raised her arm to slap him again, but he grabbed her wrist and held onto it. "Don't you slap me again!" He snapped.

Krystal struggled to get out of his grasp. "Let go! You're hurting me!" She cried.

Tony loosened his grip, and Krystal jerked her hand away. "Are you gonna slap me anymore?" He asked.

Krystal glared. "Get out." She ordered.

"What? What are you talking about?" Tony asked.

"I said get out. Leave. I don't want you here right now." She said, pointing to the door.

"Have you made up your mind which one of us you are going to choose?" Tony asked, trying to change the subject.

"No. Get out _now_." Krystal said. Tony didn't move. "I said _GET_ _OUT_!!" She screamed. The startled vulpine walked slowly toward the door. Krystal walked there ahead of him and opened it. "Move it!" She said. Tony hesitated in the door way. "Just leave!" She ordered. Tony took one step and hesitated.

"You heard Krystal, she told you to go." Fox's voice said. Tony looked over at Fox and glared.

"Go. Now." Krystal said. Defeated, Tony nodded and walked to the elevator. He hit the button, got in, and looked out at Krystal as the doors shut. The vixen sighed.

She began to shut the door, but Fox's voice stopped her. "Are you alright? D… did he hurt you?" he asked.

"No… I'm fine." Krystal said, with a hint of sadness. Again she began to close the door.

"I… If you choose him, I'll… uh… just, leave you alone." Fox said sadly.

"How are you so sure that I'll choose him?" Krystal asked, leaning on the edge of the door.

"Well… you know him better, and he's… stronger, and more protective of you." Fox said.

Krystal smiled. "You can come in if you want." She said, holding the door open and waiting for his face to appear.

"Uh… n-no, that's okay… I-I'm… just…" Fox stuttered.

"Let me put it this way… I want you to come in, so get over here." Krystal said. Fox shut the door from his room and walked over. He hesitated at the door. "I'm not gonna wait all day." She said. Fox walked inside and Krystal shut the door. "Why were you out there just now?" She asked.

"I… uh… I… was… just coming back from the… free breakfast thing downstairs and I heard you yell." He said. Krystal rolled her eyes.

"I'm not stupid. I can tell when you're lying, ya know." She said. "Even if I didn't have telepathy, I would _still_ know that you were lying. The free hotel breakfast ends at ten… It's twelve forty-five. And you would have seen Tony walk past to get to the elevators, if you _were_ down there." She said.

"Y… you mean, he wasn't here all night?" Fox asked.

Krystal shook her head, a bit confused. "He got here about ten minutes ago… Why would he have been here all night?" She asked.

"I saw him here on my way into my room last night, and I figured he'd come to see you." Krystal could tell just by looking at him that Fox was relieved.

She probed his mind to find out why. "You thought that he had slept with me last night, didn't you…?" She asked, unable to hide the hint of a smile on her face.

Fox looked down nervously. "Well, not… I mean, just a… well, yeah." He said in a low voice with a nod.

"You were jealous, weren't you?" She asked. Fox blushed, and then he gave a slight nod. Krystal couldn't hide the grin that she'd been holding in. Fox had been jealous of Tony all night for no reason. "So, what were you doing out there, for real?" she asked.

"I was… debating on whether or not I should come talk to you, but before I could decide… uh, your door opened and you were telling Tony to get out. I didn't know what had been going on." He said.

"Hm… that sounds truthful enough…" She said jokingly. "What were you going to talk to me about?"

"That was the problem. I didn't have anything to talk about." Fox said.

"Have you thought of anything?" Krystal asked. Fox shook his head, and then he remembered something.

"Well, there was one thing… I was… gonna ask… if… if you'd made up your mind… on…" He began nervously.

"I haven't…" Krystal said, sensing what he was going to say.

"Uh, I… I should probably go…" Fox said.

Krystal nodded. "If you want to, that's fine." She said. "Thanks…"

"For what?"

"For telling Tony to go. He probably would have stayed and argued with me if you hadn't been there." Krystal said.

"Oh… you're welcome. Thanks for inviting me in." Fox got up and walked to the door, and then he opened it and left.

Krystal sighed. She walked over to the door that connected hers and Katt's rooms and opened it, then knocked on the one behind it.

The feline opened it. "What is it?" She asked.

"Well… I need help." Krystal said. Katt smiled.

"I've been waiting for someone to come along who I can try out this strategy that my friend Tonya told me… Come on in." Katt opened the door wider and Krystal stepped inside. "Now, this may sound weird, and maybe even dangerous, depending on who you're around, But here's what you're gonna do…"

(**Fox's room**)

_Perfect… I can't believe this… I had the perfect chance to stay, and even kiss her, but I couldn't do it… Tony was probably right… I'll never win this thing… I've given away the girl I love on a silver platter… and she doesn't even know… Tony knew it the whole time… that's why he was so eager to get me to do this… He tricked me, and I fell for it… He stole Krystal from right under my nose, and I let him… I might as well have given her up the second I saw him…_ Fox sat on his bed, sulking and sad, yet angry that he'd given her away.

He got up and went to the kitchen, looking for something to eat. He opened the refrigerator and looked inside. _There's nothing good in here… I'm not even hungry… I think I'd throw up if I ate anything right now…_ Fox closed the refrigerator and walked into the living room, and then he sat on the couch and turned on the TV news.

"…Cloud may have a girlfriend. He was last seen at a party that was being held at Hannah Carter's house with a young girl. A few hours before that, just outside the Corneria Central Docking Bay, they were seen together and even gave each other a quick smooch." The reporter said. Fox groaned and put his head in his hand.

"Why…?" He asked quietly.

"We're here with a girl named Jessica who said that she witnessed the whole thing. Jessica, do you know anything about the girl that Fox was with?" Fox glared at the TV as anger built up in him, recognizing the girl from the night before.

"Not really, but Fox said that she was his girl. I talked to Katt, too, and she may be cheating on Falco. She was totally hitting on this random hot guy. And that girl, the one that Fox was with, she was talking to some other guy, and she seemed afraid when Fox came over. I think that she likes the other guy and he knows it, and she's afraid that Fox is gonna find out." Jessica said.

"NO! You have it all wrong, you stupid girl!" Fox shouted.

"Have you any idea what the girl's name is?" The reporter asked.

"Um… I think it was Krystal… that's what that other guy called her." Jessica said with a slight smirk.

"I swear… If I ever see that girl again, I'll kill her…" Fox said in anger with clenched teeth.

"Crystal?" The reporter asked.

"Yeah… Krystal." She said. "That's what that guy said. I'm not positive, but I think he broke up with his girlfriend because he saw Krystal and wanted to get back together with her. His name is Tony." Jessica said.

"Thank you, Jessica." The reporter said. "In other news, a policeman was killed late last night by a mysterious cloaked…" Fox clicked off the TV. He didn't want to hear anymore. He lay back against the couch and closed his eyes as the events of the night before passed through his mind.

"_Fox… McCloud? You're that mercenary, right? The one who saved the Lylat system from Andross?_" "_I don't know if Krystal ever mentioned me… We've known each other since we were really young…_" "_Fox, that's not your business… or mine… we shouldn't ask things like that…_" "_Do you care for Krystal?_" "_Would you love her even if she hurt you deeply?_" "_Because you broke a promise…_" "_The commitment was to love each other and no-one else…_" "_Maybe I found someone else to mend my broken heart…_" "_I think there's only one way to find out who's good enough for her… If you agree, swell… If you don't, you don't deserve her at all, whether she picks you or not…_" "_Fox and I have come to an agreement… You choose which one of us that you love, and the other one of us has to suck it up and live with it…_" His own voice echoed in his thoughts. "_What was she talking about?_" "_What was… that girl talking about?_"

Fox could hear the voices as clear as day, as if he was still there, reliving it. "_NO_!! Stop!" Fox stood up in frustration. "It's my fault… If I hadn't asked that question, none of this would have happened…" He said. Pain filled his mind, the pain of a broken heart. Tears filled his eyes, and he sat back down on the couch. His heart hurt. He was losing the girl he loved, and it was his fault.

(**Katt's Room**)

"Got it?" Katt said to Krystal after explaining her plan.

"Well, I guess… but… what if… Tony… what if he…?" Krystal began.

"What if he what? You know how to defend yourself. So, set up a date with them, and try it out." Katt said with a smirk.

"Alright…" Krystal said. She left the feline's room and returned to her own. She sat on the bed and sighed. Then she got up again and changed her clothes. She put on a slightly low cut tank top, and some tight, low-rise blue jeans. _Now what? I yelled at Tony, and Fox is either in his room or gone… I guess I'll go take a walk, and take my phone with me, incase they call…_ Krystal got up and left her room again. She pressed the button on the elevator and waited for it to come up, and then she climbed into it. As it started to go down at a high speed, Krystal jumped for the fun of it. She stayed in the air for a few seconds as if she was falling, but she slowly landed on the ground.

_Omigosh… That was so cool! It felt like I was flying! That elevator goes really fast…_ Then it stopped, and she got out. Tony was there. Krystal wasn't sure if she was relieved or annoyed by his presence.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"On a walk." She said shortly, not even meaning to.

"Do you mind if I come too?" He asked.

"No, you can come." They walked out of the hotel together. "I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier." She said.

"It was my fault… I'm the one who upset you. I didn't mean to ruin everything by showing up again last night, but I had been searching for you for a long time, and I… I guess I was jealous of Fox. But who can blame me for being jealous of him? He's with the most beautiful girl in the universe." Tony said.

Krystal looked away from him. _Nuh-uh_._ I'm not falling for his flattery…_ She told herself as they continued down the block. "I'm not the most beautiful girl." She said.

"Then who is? You're more beautiful than anyone I've ever met." Tony said.

_This is going to be very difficult… _Krystal told herself. "Oh, please." She said sarcastically. They crossed the street and kept walking, toward the park.

"So, where are we going?" Tony asked.

"I dunno. I just decided to walk around. We could go to the park…" She suggested, seeing that if they kept going the way that they were, they would end up there.

"That sounds good." Tony slipped his arm around the vixen. She pushed his arm back and stepped away slightly. Tony shrugged. They entered the park and slowly walked down one of the trails. Tony reached for Krystal's hand. "Mind if I hold your hand?" He asked.

Krystal pulled her hand away. "Actually I do mind… thanks for asking though." She said.

"Bet you'd hold my hand if I were Fox." Tony said, stopping on the bridge that went over the creek.

"Fox is more pleasant." Krystal said, turning to face him.

"I can be pleasant…" Tony said, leaning down to kiss her.

"Don't…" Krystal said, turning away.

"You'd probably kiss me if I were Fox." He said.

"Why do you think that?" She asked, even though she knew the answer.

"Why would you ask a question when you already know the answer?" Tony asked back.

"Why would you?" Krystal countered.

"You love him more than me, don't you…?" Tony said, more stating than asking.

"Perchance…" She said, turning to lean on the rail.

"Does that mean yes?" He asked.

"Possibly…" She replied.

"What does that mean?" Tony asked.

"Perhaps." She said.

"You're killing me with all of the uncertain answers. Give me a yes or a no." Tony said. Krystal smiled.

"Maybe…" She said. Tony groaned.

"Now that's getting annoying." He said.

"You think I'm annoying?" The vixen asked. _Oops… didn't mean to say that, oh well…_

"Not all of the time… most of the time you're okay." Tony said.

"_Okay_?" Krystal turned to him, slightly annoyed.

"Acceptable…" He said.

"Acceptable? That's it?" Krystal began to get angry.

"Perfectly acceptable." Tony corrected.

Krystal pursed her lips and leaned on the rail. "Hm… perfectly acceptable… what about lovely?" She suggested.

"Extremely lovely."

She smiled slightly. "Hm… what about pretty?" She said. _I'm so evil… and he's falling for it…_ She thought.

"You're absolutely beautiful…" Tony said.

Krystal smiled. She stared out at nothing in particular, her face becoming more serious.

"Is something wrong?" Tony asked, jarring Krystal from her thoughts.

She glanced at him, and then she looked down. "No… I'm fine…" She said. She turned and began walking again. Tony did the same. They walked through the park in silence, and then headed back to the hotel.

"Do you wanna go to dinner tonight?" Tony asked.

Krystal shook her head. "No… I can't, sorry."

"Why?" He asked.

"I… um… I… just…" Krystal began to think of a good enough reason not to go with him… in his point of view. "I just can't…" She said.

"That's not a reason… that's an excuse." He said.

"It should be a reason to you… if you care about me." She said.

"I care about you. I love you. But you can't just make a lame excuse on why you can't go to dinner with me." Tony said.

"I… oh, alright…" She said, unable to come up with a quick excuse. "But… I don't have anything to wear." She said quickly.

"We'll go somewhere real nice. Wear that dress you wore last night. You'll look beautiful." Tony said.

Krystal sighed. Part of her didn't want to give in, but part of her did. She looked down for a moment, and then back up at him. "Alright."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I wanted to get this up sooner, but I had the hardest time finding a good enough title for this chapter. Besides that, I've been busy lately… So, sorry about the wait. I hope it was worth it… :)

**Coming up:** The juicy part… (-rubs hands together with a mischievous grin-)

_Con_**:** You've _got_ to be kidding me…

_Me_**:** Nope.

_Con_**:** I can't believe you erased my part. I had a perfectly good part in there, and you erased it.

_Me_**: **It was too dramatic. I had to… (-Looks around-) Can we talk about this later, please!?

_Con_**:** Fine.

**Chapter 28: **Um… I'm not sure exactly what's going on in this chapter, but I know what's going to be going on. (-Glares at Con-) I won't erase it! _You can't make me_!! Random outburst, sorry. Anyway… The Star Fox team is going to get a mission… with all of this going on, can Fox handle it? Well, you'll have read it to find out. And about Krystal's dinner plans… well, I won't say anything…

_Con_**:** That's just 'cause you don't know yet.

_Me_**:** Shut up! Or I'll erase your next part…

_Con_**:** … (-Silence-)

_Me_**:** Good. Anyway, see you next chapter!


	28. Chapter 28: Mixed Emotions

**Chapter 28: Mixed Emotions**

Krystal rode the elevator up in silence. She thought about what she'd just done. _Hm… was it a good idea? Tony's a nice guy, and I like him, but I don't trust him as much as… as Fox… How weird to have myself telling me that… Maybe this isn't a good idea… wait… I can try out that 'plan' that Katt told me… Yeah, that would work… I could… like… no… that'd be stupid… maybe… no… but… it might just wo-…_ She gasped, almost falling when the elevator stopped. She sighed, walking out.

The first thing she did was knock on Katt's door. Before she could even knock twice, the door was flung open and Katt began blurting out words as fast as she could.

"Krystalomigoshfoxgotacallfromgeneralpepperandthere'sthisnewmissionandwehavetogofirstthingtomorrowmorningandeverything'sallhecticandohdidimentionit'sontitaniaandanimalshavebeenrandomlydisappearingatrandomplacesandwhenwegowecouldbenext!?"

Krystal blinked. "Okay… maybe you could slow down and repeat that…" She said.

Katt sighed. "Fox… got… a… call… from… Gen-"

"Not _that_ slow! Just… normal!" Krystal said suddenly.

"Fox got a call from General Pepper about a new mission. It's on Titania. Animals have been randomly vanishing, and the military doesn't think it's a big enough deal to get into it. Something tells me this is a bigger mission than they're implying. We leave first thing tomorrow morning unless he calls us sooner, so don't be making any plans."

"Hey, I'm the telepath, not you!" Krystal said.

"What… you… you mean you have plans? To do what?" Katt asked.

"Tony asked me to dinner, and I didn't have a good enough reason to say no." Krystal said.

"Tonight?"

"Yes. Is that okay?" Krystal asked.

"I hope so. We may have to leave this afternoon, so don't be all shocked if you have to leave him waiting." Katt said. She froze, as if something had just hit her. "Whoa, whoa, whoa… _Tony_?! You made dinner plans with _Tony_!?"

"I just said that…" Krystal said.

"No, no, no!" Katt drew her hand across her throat as if cutting it.

Krystal scoffed. "Well, you should've said something earlier. It's too late, now."

"You can't go. Call him, you can't go." Katt said determinedly.

"What? Why!?"

"Because _we_ have plans tonight. You can't be in two places at once." Katt said.

"But… what about that 'plan' you told me about? And plus… I don't know his number." Krystal said.

Katt scoffed. "_Fine_!! Go and ruin everything. You're not supposed to accept the first time he asks. Or the second. He has to ask _three_ times, and then he's worthy for a positive answer."

"Well, you could've told me that." Krystal said.

"Not really. You're supposed to know that. It's hard-to-get one-oh-one." Katt said.

"_Please_, like I'd know that. Is there anything else I should know?" Krystal asked.

Katt opened the door all the way and stood beside it, gesturing for Krystal to come inside. "Plenty of things. Like, never call them unless you absolutely _need_ to, cut all phone calls to fifteen minutes or less, never drone on about something they don't understand, always look your best, never say it was a big deal to get dressed up, um… don't eat spaghetti or pizza, never pig out or eat until your actually full, don't act all tough or tomboyish unless you just want them to think of you as a pal … dinner skills… let's see… um… oh, don't offer to pay for the meal unless you are positive that they'll argue and get it themselves… don't talk on the phone while they're around unless it's an urgent call, and even then, don't stay on more than needed… never let an awkward silence remain, never make a date and then bring someone else… That's all that's coming to my mind."

Krystal had walked inside, and Katt shut the door while she was talking.

"Wow… mind overload." Krystal said.

"I know, there's a lot in there. You want both of them to love you, I know how to do that. About that plan… I know just how to use it…" Katt said with a mischievous smile.

(**Several hours later…**)

"Mmm… Ahha! There… perfect. Now we'll just… right… there. _Now_ you're ready." Katt smiled proudly at how she'd dressed up Krystal and done her makeup and hair.

Krystal was wearing the silver dress and shoes she'd worn the night before. She looked dazzling. Katt had used a special silvery powder on her, giving the vixen an ethereal glow.

"I hope I look okay…" Krystal said.

Katt grinned. "You look fabulous. You even look better than you did last night, so knock 'em dead!" As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. "I'm not here…" Katt ran and hid in the bathroom.

Krystal stifled a laugh, and then she walked to the door. Sensing it was Tony, she opened it. "Hi." She said. He was wearing a tux, and he looked rather handsome.

"Hey… wow… you look beautiful." Tony said.

Krystal smiled shyly. "Thanks…" She said.

"Ya ready?" He asked.

"Yes… let's go." Krystal shut the door. Tony held out his hand, silently asking for her to take it. She hesitated, but gave in and placed her palm in his. They rode down the elevator and walked out to the sleek black car that was waiting. Tony opened the door for Krystal and shut it when she was inside. He then walked to the other side and got into the driver's seat. It was a nice little hover-car, with a spacious inside although it looked small. Tony started the engine and smoothly guided the car away from the curb.

"So, I made dinner reservations at a lovely little restaurant downtown. Not many animals go there, but the food is exceptional. It's a small place, a bit out of the way. Not many know about it, or they'd be packed." He said.

"I suppose I could probe your mind to see where we're going, exactly…" Krystal said teasingly.

"Nope. I've been practicing some techniques, and if I want to, I can block a powerful telepath." Tony said with a sly grin.

"Hm… really?" Krystal asked. True enough, her attempt to read his mind failed. She winced and reached a hand to her temples. "Ow! That's a powerful mind block… only telepaths have that good of a defense, and even they have to practice." Krystal said.

"According to the expert I saw, I have a bit of telepathy. I'm not good enough to read minds or sense where someone is, but my defense as a telepath is advanced. I inherited it from my mom. The guy I talked to said I have such a good defense that I can actually protect others' minds as well as my own." Tony said.

"Impressive… How come you never told me?" Krystal asked.

"I only recently found out myself. I'm only about a level one telepath. You, however, can read minds and all that. You're about level three, I think. Some telepaths are so powerful, they can turn their telepathy into telekinesis and move objects. They're considered level nine. It's very rare to meet a telepath level ten. They can read several minds at once, can turn telepathy into telekinesis, and even take over others' minds and control them. They're quite a force to reckon with, or so I'm told." Tony explained.

"Wow… how do you know all that stuff?" The vixen inquired.

"I met this weird old guy who's a level nine telepath. He told me I had telepathy, and I could easily take control of my powers and could block out a level ten, if I used it correctly. So, he gave me some lessons and exercises on how to use my telepathy, and now _he_ can't even read my mind. I'm learning how to keep up my defense while I'm asleep. It's difficult, but he's teaching me." He turned the car down several side streets, and pulled out into heavy traffic. "Ah, curse the dumb rush hour…" He muttered.

"Do you think you could teach me?" Krystal asked. "I can read minds, but I've got hardly any experience with mind blocks."

"Maybe…" Tony turned down the closest alley, narrowly avoiding a scrape with the car in front of him. He sped up, bypassing most of the evening traffic that usually lasted around three hours.

He parked the car at a lit up building, and then he walked around to the other side. He paused at the door, looking at a suspicious van parked at the edge of an alley. He'd seen something move, but there was no one in the vehicle. He shook off the feeling he was being watched and opened the door for Krystal.

"Why, thank you. You're being quite the gentleman tonight." Krystal said.

Tony grinned. "I have every reason to be. You're quite a lovely lady." He said.

Krystal smiled at his complement as he shut the car door behind her.

"This is my _favorite_ place to eat. I save it for special occasions or Friday nights." Tony said. "Since you're with me, I consider it a _very_ special occasion."

"I'm honored to accompany you." Krystal said.

Tony grinned, opening the door for her to enter first. A sign hung above the door that said, '_V's_'. Krystal smiled at him on her way in.

He smiled back, closing the door behind him. It was a small place, and only two tables were occupied. It was warm and welcoming, and smelled of meat cooking. The four animals there were all carnivorous.

A well-dressed chipmunk came with two menus and led the foxes to a table. He handed them the menus, and then said, "Good evening. Would you care for something to drink?"

"We'll take the finest bottle of champagne, please." Tony said. He turned to Krystal. "Is there anything else you'd like?"

She shook her head. "No, champagne is fine."

"Very well. I'll give you a minute to decide, and I'll be back to take your order." The chipmunk walked away through the small restaurant.

Tony never opened his menu. "I order the same thing every time." He said. "It never gets old."

"Hm... and what's that?" Krystal inquired.

"Nue Yorkshire Steak and caramel Cheesecake for desert." Tony replied.

"Caramel cheesecake?" The vixen asked.

"It's something you'd never think to be that delicious." Tony chuckled.

"Sounds good I guess…" Krystal shrugged. "Oooh, pasta!" She grinned at the menu. "I'll have..." She paused, remembering what Katt had told her. "No, I'll have... hm..." She mulled over the menu, wondering what she should get. _A salad? Uhg, I hate salad… maybe… srhimp? I don't care for shrimp… I love pasta, but Katt said pasta's very messy, and I might ruin my dress… perhaps I'll get some… steak? Nue Yorkshire… that's what Tony's getting… I'll get a salad with Ranch dressing and chicken on top… no, I still hate salad… just some darn chicken, then!_ Krystal argued with herself over what to get.

Tony suddenly laughed.

"What's so funny?" Krystal asked.

"Ah, nothing... I was just thinking about some things." He replied.

"What things? I can't read you through your mind block." Krystal said.

"Just some things… it doesn't matter much." He said. "If it was important, I'd tell you."

Krystal sighed. "Oh, very well… I'll just be curious forever then."

(**About thirty minutes later… just outside the restaurant**)

"Look at him… the jerk." Vivian scoffed, glaring through her heat-sensing glasses. She could see the shape of the two foxes.

"If you hate her so much, just turn on that mind control thing and make him kill her." A voice said from next to her.

She turned to the vulpine. "You incompetent fool… He has his mind blocked. Besides that, they're in a public place. If he kills her right now, he'll be arrested."

"Well, with the mind control, can't you just make him kill all the cops?"

"No… He'll be a wanted criminal. That wouldn't be good for either of us." Vivian sighed, looking at her brother. "Sometimes I wonder how we're related… You're a fox, and I'm a cat. You're the biggest idiot I've ever met, and I'm a genius."

He glared at her. "I like my little sister so much better than you… In fact, I'm thinking of siding with her."

Vivian took her blaster and aimed it at his head. "Go ahead… you'll be killed in a second, _brother_. I don't need you for my plan… you're just another ally to take care of so you don't rat on me. I never needed you for anything…"

"Yeah, shoot me. Once I'm dead, all of the men I recruited for you will leave in a minutes notice. That will only leave you with a third of your army." He said, thinking fast with the knowledge that she wouldn't hesitate to murder him on the spot.

"True… but I _could_ just lie and say you're away on classified business." Vivian said, fingering the trigger.

"You know, our sister wouldn't hold a gun to my head and try to shoot me. And she's a telepath; all I have to do is feel scared and she'll know what happened, even when she's miles away."

"She'll never make it fast enough to save you. She doesn't need you either… it's your fault your mother is dead. Your sister is next. Then you…" Vivian threatened.

"Ah… but, which sister?" He asked.

"Your little sister…" Vivian snapped.

"She's your sister too, ya know."

"Yes… but it's her fault my childhood was ruined. When it became known that mom would have another girl, I was sent away. I was the outcast, simply because I looked like my grandmother. She took me in. I never saw you trying to help… I made a bet with mom that you would leave before the next full moon… She bet her life that you wouldn't. But you did… now she's dead."

"You're a devil to kill your own mother…" He said.

"I never considered her my mother after…" The door to the restaurant opened, and two foxes walked out. Vivian grabbed her brother by the neck and flattened herself against the alley wall, holding the gun to his head. "Speak and you die." She whispered.

The male fox opened the car door for the female to get in. She did, and he got in the driver's side and started up the car.

"Move!" Vivian snapped. "There they go!" She shoved her brother to the sleek black car and darted to the driver's side. She started the car and sped after the two foxes.

(**In the other car…**)

Tony turned into the still heavy traffic, and managed to maneuver to the other side to another alley. He turned parallel to the traffic again, and sped up. He glanced through one of the many alleys perpendicular to the main road, and chuckled softly at the sight of all the stopped cars. Very few were smart enough to take the alleys.

Suddenly, a horrible pain consumed Krystal's mind. Her telepathy screamed inside her head, as if something was torturing it. She cried out in pain and grabbed her head.

"Krys!!" Tony put on the breaks and stopped the car, reaching over and taking her arms. "What happened?"

"_You will __**die**__, Cerinian!_" The awful voice shouted in her head.

Krystal gasped, clutching her head in pain.

"Krys! Kryssy, what's wrong!!" Tony said, quite alarmed.

"M-my head! No… get out!! Make it… stop!!" She cried. It felt as if something had grabbed her mind and was twisting and pulling on it. Frightening images flickered through her thoughts. "No!! Stop it! Get out of my head!!" The horrible sensation stopped suddenly. Krystal shook slightly, panting lightly with fear in her eyes.

"Krys, are you alright?!" Tony asked quickly.

She nodded, holding back tears. "I… I-I'm okay… something… I dunno, it…" She trailed off.

Tony unbuckled and tenderly embraced her.

"Something was trying to… it was… bending my memories, and trying to erase them. It… there was these images. I saw a planet… it was all light brown, almost gold. Then there was these awful creatures, with sharp teeth and claws… they were attacking innocent people… it was so horrible." She spoke quietly with her face next to his shirt.

"It's alright…" Tony said softly against her hair.

Krystal pushed away from him, breaking the embrace. "I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean to freak out, it's just…" She shook her head. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be…" Tony replied. He reached out and placed his finger under her chin, lifting her face to look in her eyes. "I don't know exactly what happened, but I won't let it happen to you when I'm here, okay?"

Krystal said nothing. Her eyes drifted downward, staring at nothing in particular. Tony leaned toward her, his eyes focusing on her lips. Krystal leaned back, away from him, but inside, something almost wanted to kiss him. She froze as his nose brushed against hers. He hesitated a second longer, and then he kissed her softly. The vixen pulled away as he went toward a passionate kiss.

"Tony, don't… please…" She whispered.

Tony sighed. "I understand." He said, sitting back in his seat and fastening his seatbelt. He started the car and straightened out on the back alley, driving back toward the hotel.

A parked car on the side of the road was passed. Inside the car, a slender form in a dark cloak scoffed after watching the couple inside the car. "You damned fool… you don't love her, but you were just trying to make out with her." The animal whispered to itself. The figure started up the vehicle and pursued the small black car. "You're going to pay for that one, Tony Dredger."

Tony stopped at the hotel and got out of the car to let Krystal out. He opened her door and offered his hand. Krystal smiled and took his hand, stepping daintily from the car.

"Thanks… I had a good time. It's been awhile…" She said, slowly stepping toward the hotel.

"Would you like me to walk you to your room?" Tony asked.

"That would be nice…" Krystal replied. They walked into the hotel and inside the elevator. Krystal pressed the button for her floor, and the elevator started moving.

"Did you know that when the elevator's going down, you can jump and stay in mid-air?" Tony asked.

Krystal smiled and nodded. "I tried that this morning. It's so fun!"

"I love doing that when I'm in a tall building. Nothing beats the thrill it gives me." Tony said. The elevator stopped, and the doors slid open almost noiselessly. Yet, a certain vulpine in a room across the hall could hear every sound.

Krystal pressed her hand on the pad and the door to her room opened.

"I'll see you later, then…" Tony said, hesitating to leave.

Krystal stopped in the doorway. "I had a really good time tonight… thanks. Like I said, it's been a long time."

Tony nodded. "Too long. Hey, why don't I call you tomorrow?" He asked.

"Okay… um…" Krystal hesitated, having second thoughts about going into her room for something to write on.

Tony took his phone from his pocket and hit a few buttons. "What's your number?" He asked.

"Um… here, can I…?" Krystal reached out for the phone. Tony handed it to her, and she pressed in her number. "There you go." She said, smiling.

"Thanks… I'll call you, okay? I promise." He said.

Krystal giggled. "Alright…" She said.

Tony moved toward her and kissed her. "Bye…" He said softly, turning to leave.

Krystal shut the door and leaned back with a sigh. She shook her head, sighing again. The room was dark, but the half-moon partially lit the shadows. _This is going to be harder than I thought… Fox, or Tony? Why can't I just make up my mind?_

A sound from the kitchen startled her. She held her breath for a few seconds, but there was nothing else to be heard. Sensing no one but the occupants of the adjacent rooms, she calmed down. The vixen took off her dress and hung it up in the closet, and then she put on a t-shirt. On the way to her bed, she heard another noise. It sounded like something had nearly dropped on the ground, but something – or someone – had caught it and slid it across a flat surface.

This time, she did sense something.

(**Fox's room, one door down…just five minutes earlier**)

Fox scowled down at the floor, burning a metaphorical hole in the carpet. He turned to look through the small hole in the door, which had the purpose of telling him who was outside. He watched sorrowfully as Tony kissed Krystal goodbye, and then as he turned to leave.

The hurt vulpine didn't notice as a tear dampened his fur on its way to the ground. It was chased by a few more, and then he realized he was crying as his vision blurred. He wiped his face and blinked away more tears. A sigh escaped his lips as he slid to the ground, leaning against the door. He placed his head in his hands and groaned.

_She's obviously happy with him… what's the use of me trying? He makes her happy, and she makes him happy… It looks like I'm just in the way… If he's better for her, then so be it… As long as she's happy, I'll just stay out of the way and let her be… curse that damned bet… it looks like Tony's winning, anyhow… I couldn't do it even if I tried… even if I wanted to… I don't even have the will to try, so why waste the time? She'll be happier with him, so I'll just… leave her alone… I don't know how I'm gonna be able to stand the mission tomorrow… maybe I'll just go without her… but I'll need her to sense what's going on… I've gotten along fine without her for twenty-six years… I shouldn't need her now… but it's so helpful to have someone there to sense where things are or read peoples' minds… maybe I'm just going crazy… I'll just get a good night's sleep tonight, and be fine in the morning… maybe it's all in my head, and I don't need her after all… I'll just go to sleep, and when I wake up, this'll all be better… who knows? Maybe it's just a bad dream…_

He sighed again, standing up and slowly dragging his feet on the way to his bed. He didn't bother changing out of his clothes before flopping down on the blankets. He closed his eyes tight, but he couldn't sleep. A few long moments dragged by, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was dreadfully wrong.

He got up and paced back and forth for a while, but the feeling still remained. The silence was deafening. Not a sound could be heard anywhere, except for his breathing.

There was a crash against the far wall, nearly scaring him out of his fur. A muffled scream was followed by more noises.

(**Sixty seconds back…Krystal's room**)

Krystal carefully stepped toward the sound, barely daring to breathe. In the dim moonlight, she caught sight of a long, dark coat with the hood up in a dark shadow. The figure was hunched over something on the counter next to the sink. Krystal's quiet gasp was louder than she anticipated. The figure turned about suddenly, and grabbed a plate from the nearest cupboard.

Krystal ran across the room to the wall and flattened herself. She ducked quickly to avoid the frisbee-plate, which crashed into the wall and shattered. She involuntarily screamed as a long, thin shiny object came at her. She barely missed being sliced. The wall was hit instead. Caught off guard by the sight of a long, slightly curved sword, Krystal was unprepared for the strong hand that clutched her neck in a death-grip. She was lifted several inches off the ground, being choked by the figure.

She kicked her leg up and struck the intruder in the face, causing the hand to let her go. She landed on her side, gasping for air. The only thing she could think to do was dodge the next few attacks, until she could get more air into her lungs and recover.

The vixen almost surprised herself in a reflex action when a light-blue force field surrounded her. Suddenly an idea struck her. _I hope this works…_ She thought. Using her mind, she enlarged the barrier and stood up inside it. Then, keeping it up, she ran to her closet and began searching through things as the intruder continued to ruthlessly attack her shield. _Come on… where are you? I know I had you in here… curse this… there it is! Come on… please work…_ She picked up a shiny blue rock that glowed softly in her palm. She turned around still holding it, and was ready to attack her attacker.

To her surprise, the figure dropped the sword in fear and backed up several feet. They lunged for the sword, and then ran back away, holding it in a defensive position.

"Why are you here?" Krystal asked.

"To destroy you… I'll back away and leave you be if you put that away." The voice reasoned. It sounded as if someone didn't want to be found out and was purposely disguising their voice. Krystal couldn't tell if it was a female's or a male's voice.

"I'll use it and kill you if you do any such thing without first giving me some answers!" She threatened.

The figure chuckled. "You don't know what you're holding… you can't kill me with that! I'm not telling you how to use the power you hold in that small stone… if you use it one way, you'll kill yourself. If you use it in a different way, you can end up with destroying the entire planet, and if you've used enough power, you can destroy the entire Lylat System or more. So, I suggest you put that away."

Krystal smiled. "I know all that this rock can do. I also know that if I use it right, all of your power and life source will deplete, and you'll be vulnerable. Then, all I have to do is kill you." She said, hoping her bluff wasn't showing. "And I know exactly how to do that."

"You don't know the first thing of your power, or you'd have killed me by now and taken my memories for your answers. You're just bluffing so that I won't kill you right now. And, by the way, your powers for protection are up." As if on cue, a terrible pain shot up Krystal's arm. She was forced to put down her shield. When she looked up, the figure was gone.

"Krystal! Krystal, are you okay!?" Fox's voice said, muffled by the wall between their rooms.

"Yeah, I'm fine! I just dropped something! I-…" A sting pierced her neck, cutting her off. She reached up to find a dart embedded in her skin. Her vision blurred and her balance vanished. All she could do was cry out weakly before the ground rushed up to her face. She could barely do anything as the world spun around her.

"And now, you'll see the extent of my abilities. I now have the ultimate power source of the universe, and the only one who can stop me is now my prisoner. Thank you, Krys. Don't worry, you won't have to choose between your men now. I'll take _good _care of them for you… you just get some sleep…" It was the last thing she heard. The last thing she saw was a pair of feet standing just in front of her.

A single word escaped her lips, and she barely knew she was speaking it.

"Fox…"

--

**Author's Notes: **… (-Winces and prepares to be smacked-)


	29. Chapter 29: Answers?

Chapter 29:

**Chapter 29: Answers**

"Well, where is she then? I've called her phone. She won't pick up…" Katt sighed. She and Fox were trying to find Krystal, who had seemingly vanished. She took the phone from her ear and glanced at the length of the call. "It's taken you five minutes to tell me… nothing." She said.

"I can't find her, and we need her for this mission! Call her phone again; maybe she just didn't get there in time to pick it up." Fox reasoned. He was starting to worry.

"I've called _five times_! She's not there. I'll call… shoot, I don't know his number. Never mind. Did you check her room?" Katt asked.

"I knocked, but she didn't answer." Fox paced back and forth along the hall.

"Well… maybe she left or something…" Katt suggested.

"Not while I've been here. The hotel clerk said he hadn't seen her this morning, and he's been on duty since three. He even checked the log, and no one's been in or out of her room since last night. I'm standing in the hall in front of her room. She hasn't come out." Fox said.

"Now you're getting _me_ worried. Wait… you're out in the hall?" Katt asked.

"Yeah…"

"Well, why didn't you knock!" Katt hung up the phone and walked out of her room to see Fox standing a few feet away. He sighed and put his phone in his pocket.

"I did… you never answered." He said.

Katt walked to Krystal's room and knocked. No answer. She knocked harder. "Krys, are you in there!?" She said against the door. Still no answer. She almost put her hand on the pad, but decided against it. "Hm…" She leaned down really close to the pad and breathed hot air from her mouth. The light flashed green and the door unlocked and opened. "There we go…"

Fox stared.

"Well, come on!" Katt stepped cautiously into Krystal's room. "Krys? Krys, are you in there? I'm coming in, so I hope you're dressed!" The pink feline walked into the room and looked around. Everything was neat, and it looked as if no one had been there in days. She stepped further in, and gasped. "Fox, look at this!" She said, rushing over to the wall.

Fox followed her. "What the…?" He peered at the large gash in the wall, and kneeled down to look closer. He looked down at the ground, where several pieces of broken glass were scattered. "It looks like… a vase, or plate, or something…" He mused, picking up one of the pieces.

Katt was checking the rest of the room. She gasped and covered her mouth to keep from screaming. "Fox! There's blood!" She cried, peering down at the carpet.

Fox quickly ran over to the spot and looked closely. "It's dry… it must've been here since last night, at least."

"Look…" Katt walked over to the closet door, which was slightly ajar. She opened it and looked inside. "Someone was looking for something…" She stated.

"This door's unlocked… it only unlocks when someone goes outside, and it locks itself when they come back in. That means… oh, no…" Fox hurried out on the balcony and looked around, as if the answer would simply appear with the wind.

"She's gone, Fox."

The deep voice startled the vulpine, who whipped around in lightning speed to face Con. "You!"

"Yes, _me_… I'm the one who saved your tail on Katina, and I'm also the reason Krystal is alive. My brother took her, late last night. That's what the commotion was about. She's on Titania, in a secret base that my brother designed. It's underground, but you must beware. The entrance is heavily guarded with terrible creatures and several traps." Con explained.

"Titania… brilliant." Fox said sarcastically. "Where, exactly?"

"You'll have to look. I can't tell you where, because I don't know exactly. It's somewhere near the base. Get going; her life depends on you. If you don't get that rock back from my brother, you're toast. That rock has the power to destroy all life as we know it. It can take out entire systems. Get it back, and save Krystal. She's the only one who can stop him. Hurry."

"If you're so smart, why don't you save her!?" Fox said.

"Because she needs _you_. I'll help you, but I can't promise much." With that, he disappeared.

Fox walked swiftly into the room and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Katt asked.

"Titania… Come on!" Fox grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

"What? You're the one who was worried about Krys, and we still don't know what happened to her!" Katt protested as he pulled her into the elevator.

"She's on Titania, and if we don't get that rock from the guy in the hood, he'll take out the whole fricken Lylat System. Gawd, I'm _so_ sick of power hungry ego maniacs…" He muttered.

"Wha…? How did…" Katt was stunned. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine!" Fox snapped as the elevator stopped. "_Come_ _on_!" He stormed out of the elevator and across the lobby. When he waved for a taxi, it passed him up. "Hey!" He shouted. No one stopped. He stepped into the road, right in the path of the next taxi. Katt screamed as the driver slammed on the breaks, stopping a mere inch from the vulpine.

Fox ran around to the side and hopped into the car. Katt followed. "This is a life-or-death situation, hear me!? Get me to the Corneria Central Docking Bay!" Fox snapped.

The black-and-white cat in the driver's seat nodded and hit the gas pedal. "Yes, sir!"

"What did you find out there? You weren't even on the balcony for five seconds…" Katt said.

"You wouldn't understand… I just know, okay?" Fox said, not wanting to go into detail.

"Are you _sure_ you're feeling alright?"

"No! I'm feeling very agitated and angry!" Fox snapped.

"Why?" Katt asked.

Fox sighed, trying to calm down. He looked out the window at the sidewalk as the car stopped in traffic. A familiar vulpine ran down the sidewalk like his life depended on it. "Where's he going in such a hurry?" Fox mumbled to himself.

It was Tony.

He ran down the sidewalk in the same direction they were driving. The car sped up for about a hundred feet, and then it stopped again. Tony was still running, just a bit ahead of all the traffic. He darted into the road, running in between the stopped cars. He made it to the other side, and kept running. The traffic sped up again, and they passed him.

Fox pondered over where he could be going, but it soon left his mind. They were stuck in stop-and-go traffic for at least half the ride. Finally, the driver pulled on a back road and passed up most of the traffic.

"Hey, if you don't mind me asking, what's going on?" He asked. Katt started.

"Tom?!" She blurted, recognizing the feline. "Oh… Well, I guess we could tell you. Krystal's vanished into thin air, and we think she's on Titania." She explained.

"Ah… why did she vanish?" Tom asked.

"Some guy kidnapped her, I think. He's another one of those power hungry freaks… the ones who always think they can take over the world." Fox said.

"It wouldn't happen to be the guy in the hood, would it?" Tom asked.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Fox asked.

"He cost me eight hundred bucks on my car. I owe him a knuckle sandwich or three." Tom said.

"Tag along, if you want. We could use the extra help… he's quite powerful, and smart, as I hear." Fox said.

"_Me_!? Come with _you_!? On a _real_ _mission_!?" Tom gaped. "No _way_! I think I'll stick to driving… A mission with guns and things blowing up and bad guys… it doesn't sound too friendly. Although I _would_ like to pay him back… nah, I'll stay here. I always get in the way of things, anyhow."

"Wow… I've never heard of someone turning down a chance to work with the Star Fox team…" Katt said.

"Yeah, well… I'd rather live to tell people that I turned down the offer than die accepting it…" Tom said.

"Well, your loss." Katt said. The car pulled into the large parking lot of the Docking Bay.

"Here you are… That'll be, one completed mission, sir!" Tom joked.

"Don't you need money since you've just had to repair your car?" Fox asked.

"Nah… You guys are special. I mean, not many taxi drivers are privileged enough to get to drive to StarFox team around town! Plus, you're in a hurry, so get going before I change my mind!" Tom said.

"Thanks…" Fox said, not knowing what else to say. He and Katt got out of the car and headed into the Docking Bay.

"Where's the ship!?" Katt asked.

"Peppy and Rob have it in orbit. If we're lucky, Slippy and Falco will already be there. If we're not, we'll head to Titania by arwing and wait for them… let's go." Fox headed around several ships and easily found an arwing and a personalized pink ship. "I don't see their ships… maybe they're waiting for us." He mused.

He and Katt climbed into their ships and headed out of the Docking Bay. It took several minutes to reach the Great Fox, and then they docked and headed to the bridge.

"Well, well, well… look who decided to show up to his own mission!" Falco smirked as Fox entered the bridge. He frowned as Katt followed, but no one else came. "Where's Krystal?"

"Titania." Fox said. He sighed. "She was taken to Titania, and…"

"Fox, sorry to interrupt, but there's a ship requesting to land. It's a small, one-man fighter. Should I grant permission?" Slippy asked.

"Send a transmission…" Fox replied. Slippy hit a button and the holo-projector came to life. The image was fuzzy, but Fox recognized it to be Tony. "This is the Star Fox team… is there a problem?"

"Fox! I… uh… I… overheard you talking to Katt. If Krystal's in trouble, I wanna help! If you say no, that's fine, but I'd like to come with you and help out. Is that alright?" Tony asked. He sounded a bit out of breath.

Fox hesitated. "Did you run all the way to the C.C.D.B.?" He asked.

Tony nodded.

Fox sighed. "Alright, you can come… We can use another hand." He said, almost reluctantly. "Land in the docking bay and head to the next room over on the right. It should be the bridge." He ended the transmission.

"Fox, what're you doing?" Katt asked.

"I'm saving Krystal. From what I hear, he's good at combat, and he can help us. We can use the extra help." Fox reasoned.

"May I ask what's going on?" Falco inquired.

"Krystal's been kidnapped and taken to Titania. We'll head down, rescue her, and figure out what else is going on." Fox bit his lip. He was fighting with himself in his head, but he bottled his fears and doubts and decided it was for the best.

The sound of a ship landing made his ears flicker. Katt gave him a half grin, and placed her hand on his shoulder. "She'll be fine… she loves you, ya know…" She whispered.

Fox looked down. "She loves _him_…" He replied softly. Just then, Tony entered the bridge.

"Wow… nice ship…" He said.

Fox snapped into attention. "Rob, set course for Titania."

Peppy stood up. "I had the jet-speed ability replaced with gravity-controlled hyperspace. They're coming out with some kind of warping mechanism… We'll get that when they've made sure it's safe. Hyperspace goes much faster than jet-speed used to. You'll see…" He said with a smug grin. Fox gave him a skeptical look. The ship turned about, aiming into the void of space. "I contacted the C.S.S. Our coordinates are set, and we have permission to enter hyperspace at any time. It's your command, Fox."

Fox grinned. "Go ahead, Rob." He said, looking out at space.

"Hyperspace commencing… main hyperdrive is ready for takeoff in five… four… three… two… one…" As Rob spoke, the large jets in the back of the ship roared to life, and the sound of an engine readying could be heard. Without so much as a single vibration, the ship streaked into space at the speed of light.

(**Meanwhile…**)

The vixen moaned as she slowly regained consciousness. Her head throbbed painfully, and her limbs felt heavy and numb. She opened her eyes slowly and looked around. She was lying on the floor in an empty room. It had no windows, and no doors, and no furnishings. The light was non-existent. She sat up on the cold, hard floor and tried to adjust her eyes, but there was no light to feed off of. She closed her eyes and relaxed, trying to sense where she was. There were several others in the nearby areas, but she didn't recognize their though patterns.

A thought came to her. She made her hands glow, and could see dimly in the empty room. She looked down and sighed. A t-shirt and underwear wasn't what she'd call appropriate for getting out of a predicament. Then she remembered the fight she'd had… Closing her eyes and letting the room return to black, she concentrated to figure out what was going on and why she was there.

_That stupid cat… why do we have to be here? I'd much rather be out doing something than guarding this dumb wall…_ The thoughts were from someone just outside the room.

She focused on someone else.

_Good… that goes there, and that goes… perfect… the secret weapons are ready for action… uh-oh… a ship just appeared on the scope… I should warn the boss… he's gone… oh, yeah! He left that cat girl in charge… I don't see how a female can take care of this… oh, well… it's his choice, I can't argue…_

_Secret weapons?! Oh no… what's going on? Where am I?_ The vixen thought.

She focused harder and searched the memories of the guard outside the wall. _Hm… that boss guy! He's the one who killed my father… there's that cat… I think her name's Vivian… Titania… I'm on Titania? Omigosh… Mutants… goodness… what awful beasts… uhg, they're hideous! That's gonna be a force to reckon with… I don't even have my staff… I've got no weapons… I'll have to learn to fight with my strange power…_

"I can teach you how." The voice scared the vixen into screaming. She turned around, still on the floor, and scooted back several feet.

"Omigosh! Don't ever scare me like that again!" Krystal said.

Con chuckled. He was surrounded in dark blue light, which gave them enough light to see. "Sorry… I didn't mean to startle you. Your team is on their way. I can teach you about some of the things you can do."

"With my power?" Krystal inquired.

"Yes. You see, your power is greater than mine or my brother's. That's why you can beat him. You need to learn better control. And… you might want this." Con reached into a pocket in his cloak, and took out Krystal's staff.

She gasped. "My staff! Give me that!" She leapt up and grabbed it.

"You're welcome… Your staff has the power to channel your ability and multiply the energy to several times stronger. With it, you can become nearly unstoppable. Incase you didn't know, your mother was a level ten telepath, and your father was level seven. You have the ability to get that powerful as well. Now… try to block this, without your staff." Con unexpectedly shoved a ray of dark blue energy toward her. She blocked it with a shield. "Good… now, try to absorb it. I'll go easy. Concentrate, and you can absorb the energy. You attack me first, and I'll show you."

Krystal shot him a blast of light blue energy. Instead of blocking it or being hit by it, it disappeared when it touched him, absorbing into his body. "Wow…"

"Now, you try it. Instead of trying to exhort your energy, try to attract it. Pull it in…" Con attacked with a dark blue ray.

Krystal concentrated when it came close. She braced herself incase it should go wrong, but to her surprise, it dissolved on contact, giving her a burst of energy. "It feels like it… I dunno… like it gave me more power, or something."

"It did. When you absorb it, you can use it as your own. It becomes your energy. You can also reflect it back onto an enemy. Just use a tiny bit of energy." Con told her. He used another energy blast. Krystal reflected it perfectly, and Con reflected it back to her. They just reflected it back and forth for several moments. The large blue blob of energy got a bit larger every time it was reflected. "It will never dissolve… this could go on forever. One of us has to get hit." He said. To make it more difficult, he created another energy glob to reflect back and forth. The two blasts of energy passed through each other and were reflected back and forth for several more minutes.

"We don't have to get hit…" Krystal absorbed both of them when they came her way.

"Smart girl… that works too." Con said.

"Why are our powers different colors? Yours is so dark…" Krystal noted.

"Well… the more powerful you are, the lighter the energy gets. Your energy glow is almost white. If you reach white, you will certainly be a force to reckon with. I don't have much power. Therefore, my energy glow is dark." Con said. "I want you to try something. I'll be alright… charge up as much energy as you can, and then blast it away from you in all directions as hard as you can. Try to break the walls."

Krystal gave him a skeptical look. She closed her eyes and focused. Her body began to glow, and she was lifted about two inches off the ground. She opened her eyes, which were also glowing. All at once, she dropped to the ground and put her palms outward. A huge surge of energy emitted from her, flying out in all directions and smashing against the walls. The thick cement walls shook and cracked.

The energy that came near Con dissolved into his body. "Good… now, do it again." He said.

Krystal focused, gathering what energy she could. She forced it away from herself with a grunt, and it slammed into the walls once again. One particular spot, about the size of a door, dented in further than the rest.

"See that door? Try it again… only, focus just on hitting that one spot." Con said.

Krystal charged another blast and it flew through the air, slamming against the indent and shoving it further.

"Good… once more…" Con winced.

Krystal tried again, and the door almost broke.

Con doubled over and grunted in pain.

"Con!" Krystal cried. He dropped weakly to one knee. "What's wrong?"

"It's… gah…" He coughed into his hand, and when he looked, there was blood on his palm. He grunted again, holding his stomach. "It's… my old wound… I… I'm sorry… it's gotten worse… I… have to go… I'm sorry…" He said weakly. Then, he vanished.

Krystal was left standing there in bewilderment. _What happened to him? What old wound? Wouldn't it heal over time? How come it's gotten worse? I hope he's okay… I'd better get out of here…_ She took her staff in one hand, and with the other, she used her blue energy to break completely through the wall. The thick cement chunks flew out into the hallway, knocking the two guards unconscious. Krystal took the smaller of the two and dragged him into the dark room. _This'll do perfectly…_

(**Meanwhile… deep in the secret base**)

"_WHAT_!!" Vivian screamed.

"A-a sh-ship just came from h-hyperspace…" The frightened computer worker said. "It h-has the markings of a ship c-called the G-Great Fox, ma'am…"

"Great Fox!? Oh, that ass… I'm gonna _kill_ him when he gets back!" Vivian snapped. "Get Krystal out from that cell, and bring her to me. She's more powerful than she looks. Make sure the stone is still in its case, then turn on the emergency cloaking device and shut down all power but the emergency power. This isn't a drill. If they get down here, we're screwed! I'll be going up with two guards and a teleportation device. _Do it NOW_!!"

"Y-yes, ma'am!" The computer operator took his headset and quickly barked out the orders. Two guards came and escorted Vivian toward a special room. A distressed security guard ran up to her.

"M-Miss Vivian… t-the girl…" He began.

"Where is she!?" Vivian demanded.

"She… s-she's escaped!"

--

**Author's Notes: **Hello, once again. Sorry this took longer to get up than it did to write… I couldn't think of a good title, and I still can't. x.x So, this'll have to do. Chapter 30 is next! Things are getting complicated. Who's gonna save Krystal first? Tony or Fox? Who will she choose? Will she even _be_ rescued, or will she get away herself? What's gonna happen with the mission? Well, stay tuned and you'll find out… (Hopefully)

_Falco_**:** That's getting so old…

_Me_**: **What…?

_Falco_**: **Never mind… just get to work proofreading that next chapter.

_Me_**:** Ex_cuse_ me!?

_Falco_**: **You're excused.

_Me_**: **_I'm _the boss here, not you!

_Falco_**:** … (-is trying to think of a good comeback-) … well… um… I'm the boss of the Great Fox when Fox is gone… (-Is trying to think of a better comeback…-)

_Me_**: **(-ignores him and walks away-)

**Chapter 30:** (_Title unavailable_) The Star Fox Team arrives on Titania. Krystal is trying not to get caught while sneaking around the secret base dressed as a guard. There's just one little problem… There are no other female guards. Tony's trying to get along with Fox, and vice versa. But I threw a nice little decker in there at the end… (-Laughs evilly-) Hope you like it. R & R!!


	30. Chapter 30: Trapped

**Chapter 30: Trapped**

Krystal finished her new outfit with the security guard's hat. She'd seen what she was supposed to do from the other guard's memories. That guard was now lying unconscious on the floor.

He never knew what hit him.

Krystal dragged the limp body into the room where she'd just been and set it down. Then she ran down the hall in the direction the guard had been going, catching up to the group of guards. They took turns turning off the several power circuits around the hall.

Krystal's staff was shoved into the back on her uniform, making it slightly uncomfortable. She shut off two power circuits, turning out the lights in two rooms. She then noticed one unnerving thing… all of the others were males. Keeping her back turned from the others, she shut off a few more of the power switches. As the others moved on, she stayed behind, pretending to fool with a switch. The second they were out of sight, she ran in the other direction.

Her telepathy warned her of oncoming foes, and she darted down a nearby hallway. The lights were out, giving her a bit of an advantage. The dim, red emergency lights glowed along the ceiling. Her eyes fed off of what light they could, and she continued down the hall.

It was a dead end, but there was a lever in the corner. She pulled it, and a section of the wall lifted to reveal a secret door. Inside the next room was a set of several computers, lit only by the emergency lights. The guards and employees there were working hard to do something. An odd, sickening stench filled the room.

Krystal walked in, sensing a few other females. She looked over the computers, although the computer status on the screen was more something that only Slippy would be able to understand. The animals in the room, besides the guards, had white outfits with an inscription on them. They all looked very similar. One said, 'Titania Base Computer Lab'. All the inscriptions had an identical sign just above them. She'd seen the sign several times on Corneria.

_So, this is why they've been disappearing… Maybe there's a way to help them…_ Krystal thought. She read one's mind, and felt sad for them. They'd been treated miserably, and fed scraps and leftovers from when the guards were done eating. They'd been denied the right to shower or change their clothes. Krystal's stomach felt sick at the realization of what the putrid smell was…

The nearest lab assistant looked at Krystal suspiciously. She was about to speak, but Krystal held her finger to her lips.

"_Shh… I'm here to help you… don't turn me in… You're right, I'm not one of Vivian's guards…_" She said through telepathy.

The startled canine nodded slowly.

A guard approached Krystal. "Hey, you… can you help me with… wait, you're not a… Hey!_ She's _the one we're looking for!!" The guard shouted. Krystal socked him hard in the face and darted out of the room, pursued by the hoard of guards who'd been watching the prisoners. The door was left open, and the captive animals all ran out of the room, fleeing for their lives.

Taking out her staff, Krystal activated the freeze blast and iced the hall floor behind her. When the first few guards reached the icy floor, they slid and fell. The others couldn't stop fast enough, and the entity of security guards tripped and fell over each other, all in one big dog pile.

Krystal put away her staff and winced slightly, for several previous thought patterns from behind her were no longer present. She fled through the next door and kept running, through the startled guards who'd been watching the security tapes. They immediately gave chase, grabbing their guns as fast as they could and running after her. A laser tore through Krystal's sleeve, scratching her arm. She stopped short and whipped around with her hands up, putting a barrier between her and the guards. They all slammed into it, unable to stop fast enough. Krystal then forced the energy in the opposite direction, throwing the guards back down the hall.

Then she kept running. She turned a corner and ran into a dog in a uniform. He was talking to two others, and he was quite startled to see her. He lifted his gun and aimed it at her.

"Freeze!" Was the only thing he could say. Krystal reached her right arm up and twisted his wrist, then she kicked the side of his head with her left foot. He collapsed unconscious to the ground. The other two had their guns aimed at her, just out of reach. She gasped and looked behind them.

They turned to see what she was looking at, but there was nothing. She leapt into the air and delivered a powerful kick to the one on her right. He plowed into the other one, and they tumbled to the ground. Krystal grabbed their guns and ran off down the hall before they could figure out what had happened.

Around another bend, three guards stood, waiting for something to happen. They saw her too late; she'd already aimed and fired. Her guns were set on stun. All three fell unconscious.

Three more henchmen awaited her around the next corner. They saw her first, and shot the two guns out of her hands before she could react. In their moment of triumph, they weren't ready for what happened next.

It all happened in three seconds. In the first, Krystal kicked the gun out of the closest dog's hand, and followed up with a kick to the groin. In the next second, she leapt over him and planted her foot in the next one's chest. He fell to the ground, and his ribs cracked as she landed on him feet first. Somehow she managed to keep her balance. In the last second, the third dog found his wrist stinging and his gun flying across the floor. All he saw was a flash of blue fur before he fell unconscious.

Krystal shook her hand, wincing slightly. _I didn't think I'd hit him that hard…_ She thought. Her knuckles ached from the punch she'd just delivered. A laser shot past her ear brought her mind back to her plan: to get out alive.

She fled down the hall, turned a corner and ran into a door. After a moment of struggling to open it, she darted through and then froze.

Vivian and two guards stood right in front of her. Behind them, at least two hundred well-trained soldiers were ready to take out anything that moved with their high power guns.

Vivian looked up in surprise. "You!!" She cried. "Get her!" Her two guards and about thirty soldiers ran toward the vixen.

Krystal turned back and fled. She tried icing the path again, but to her horror, the staff was out of magic. "Don't… no, no!" She placed her staff back into its hiding spot, and then screamed as she plowed into the group of canines she'd just tricked with the ice path. Three reached for her, but she moved just out of reach of two and punched the other one in the gut.

Another dog lunged for her, but he was met with a kick to the face. One grabbed her arm, and she punched him in the face three times, knocking him out cold. With an energy blast, she shoved them backwards on top of each other.

Two sets of arms came from behind her and grabbed her wrists.

"No, let go!!" She screamed. She swept her right leg outward and tripped one, and then she brought her right foot around and kicked the other on the side of his head. Spinning around, she was met with the barrel of a gun two inches from her forehead. "Go ahead and shoot, you worthless _fraction_ of a being!" She snapped. Unknown to the dog, a small blue dot blocked the end of his gun.

He pulled the trigger.

The gun backfired and exploded in his face.

"Take that, you worthless wimps!!" She shouted, unleashing another energy blast to the others, who'd just caught up. Vivian ran ahead of them. The energy blast dissolved as it touched her. A small object in her palm glowed light blue.

As she reached Krystal, the vixen threw a punch. Vivian caught her wrist, pivoted on her toes, and used her strength and weight to pull Krystal over her shoulder and throw her onto the ground.

The stunned vixen never saw it coming. She hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of her.

"It's not that hard you ignorant fools! Get her!" Vivian snapped. She glared at Krystal. If looks could kill, the entire group of animals would've died. Two guards came and snatched Krystal's wrists, and then they pulled her to her feet.

Krystal's eyes widened as she looked at Vivian. She'd never before seen such a terribly evil look on a face. The pure hatred in Vivian's eyes was almost unbearable. The intense evil around her chilled everyone near. It was frightening to the vixen, who'd never in her life sensed such hatred or evil in anyone.

"Come on… you two, we're taking her up with us. And get her out of those silly clothes. Release switch five. You know which one."

"Yes, ma'am."

Vivian stormed off back the way she'd come. The two guards who'd been with the feline grabbed Krystal and pulled her along.

They took her into a large room with several supplies.

"Take off your clothes." The taller dog said.

Krystal gave him a look of horror. "What!?"

"You heard me! Take of that outfit you stole!" He snapped.

Krystal glared. "I don't have modest clothing under this!" She said.

Vivian scoffed. "Incompetent fool…" She muttered. She took a pair of battered old jeans from a shelf. "Change into these. Have you got a shirt?"

Krystal nodded.

"Good. Do it now!" Vivian snapped.

Krystal glared at the two guards. "I'm not getting dressed with _them_ watching me!"

"Yes, you are. I don't trust you not to escape if they turn their backs." Vivian argued.

Krystal sighed angrily. "Don't look now, but your accent's showing." She muttered. Vivian had a slight accent, similar to Krystal's.

The vixen scowled, taking off the jacket and throwing it onto the dogs' faces. They were standing close enough together that it tangled them up perfectly. Krystal hastily took off the pants and replaced them with the jeans Vivian had given her. The two dogs practically ripped the jacket off of themselves, but were disappointed to find she was very swift at getting dressed and had just buttoned the jeans.

She couldn't help but smirk at them.

"Come _on_!! We haven't got all day!" Vivian shouted angrily. She stormed through a door, and the guards made Krystal come too.

They entered a small room with only a single number pad in the corner. Vivian typed something on it, and then she stood in the center. The room seemed to spin, and the surroundings changed to the Titanian Desert.

The hot wind blew the sandy hills slowly from place to place during the day. The hot sand blew around the four animals, who'd seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The scorching sun was unbearable to stay in for more than a short time.

Vivian took some binoculars from her pocket and unfolded them. She turned on the scanner and looked through them at the bright sky. "There you are… Right on time." She smirked evilly as five ships came from the sky and landed a distance away. She lifted her wrist to her face, and on the small comm device, she typed in a code.

"Yes, Fox, _I've_ got your beloved Krystal. I'm afraid you're not ever going to see her again, unless it's just a peek before she dies. If you fight me, she'll die a horrible death. If you leave now, she'll be spared a while longer. If you surrender to us, you'll see her again before you both die. So, what's your choice? This goes for you, too, Tony." She spat out his name as if it tasted awful on her tongue.

"We're the Star Fox team, and we demand you give her back to us or be shot down!" Fox's voice said.

"Ah, violence it is… If you look to your left and go about a hundred yards, you'll see us both before she dies. And don't bother trying to save her once she falls… my fool-proof trap kills all who go. There is no easy way up once you fall." Vivian threatened. No reply. "Well, your friends aren't responding, sweetheart. Should we kill you now?" Krystal said nothing. "Answer me." The vixen still said nothing. "Guards, hold her over the sand… by her neck. Give her just enough air to scream."

The taller guard took Krystal by her throat and held her over the sand, a foot from the ground. The vixen wriggled in his grip, but made no sound.

"I don't believe you really have her." Tony's voice came over the small device.

"Then you're a fool. She'll die, you two. And don't worry, you'll die as well." Vivian smirked. She shoved her guard toward the spot he was holding Krystal over, causing him to lose his balance and stumble. He made every effort not to step on one spot, trying to get back to his previous position. In doing so, he dropped Krystal to the ground. She landed on the spot he was avoiding.

The ground beneath her vanished and she began to fall. Screaming on instinct, she grabbed the edge. The guard sat on the ground, regaining his balance. The other one grabbed Krystal and pulled her back up by her clothes at Vivian's signal.

"Believe me now? She almost fell. I'd hurry and make your choice. She'll for sure die. You two may live, if you make a wise choice." The hole in the ground sealed itself back up, and sand covered it. It was inconspicuous with its camouflage.

"Well? What's it gonna be? You have sixty seconds to make up your mind, or I give my guards the signal to drop your girl down into my death-trap. If she survives the fall, she has to single-handedly fight my hungry pet. If she survives that, which is highly unlikely, she'll sit there and rot. She'll die by starvation or thirst. If she finds a way out… my guards will notify me, and I will notify my favorite little pet. And he doesn't like it when prisoners escape from my trap. So, if you want to put her though that, then just put up a fight." Vivian threatened.

"She won't be going through anything. You will." Tony said, aiming a borrowed blaster at Vivian's head from behind.

The feline smiled. "Ah… violence it is. Guards…"

Fox, who'd come with Tony, shot one in the head. The other one tackled Krystal into the hole. She screamed, barely gripping the edge. Her fingers were almost slipping off as the canine grabbed her ankles and tried to pull her down with him. Fox dove toward them and grabbed Krystal's wrist.

"Kill them…" Vivian said.

The guard tried harder to pull Krystal down. "Kill them, now…" Vivian said through clenched teeth. Her eyes acquired a strange reddish glow. She stared into Tony's eyes with an evil look in hers.

"Tony, shoot her! She'll kill us all if we don't… I can't hold Krystal much longer! Just shoot her!" Fox said as Krystal's hands began to slide from his grip.

Tony stood fast, his gun still trained on the feline's head.

"Tony, I need your help or Krystal's gonna fall! Just shoot her!" Fox shouted. He gripped her hands as tight as he could as the guard pulled her down more.

"Tony!! Please!" Krystal cried.

"Kill them…" Vivian chanted. "Kill them, now…"

Tony's eyes widened. He seemed to fight with an unknown force. His hand shook on the trigger. He was so close to pulling it. Something kept him from it. He wanted to so badly, but something forced him not to.

"Tony!!" Krystal screamed. "Pull the trigger!" Fox clung to her hands. Their sweaty palms were slipping.

"Tony, dammit! Just kill her!!" Fox shouted. "I can't hold Krystal! Do it or she's gonna fall!"

Tony gasped. Vivian's expression twisted into an evil smirk. He fought with all his strength and pulled the trigger, just as Vivian vanished into thin air. His shot flew harmlessly through air and dissolved several feet away.

"Krystal!!" Fox yelled. Her hand came loose from his grip. They were only holding on by fingertips. "Tony, help me!!"

Tony skidded to the hole and reached out for Krystal's hand a second too late. Her fingers slipped from Fox's grip, and she fell down the hole.

"_NO_!!" Fox shoved himself forward, almost jumping into the hole. Tony grabbed his shirt and jerked him back.

"What do you think you're doing!?" He yelled, pulling Fox to his feet.

"I'm going after her, you bastard!" Fox drew back his fist and plowed it with great force into Tony's jaw, knocking him flat on his back.

Then he dove into the hole after Krystal.

--

**A/N:** … (-Listens for you cheering…grins evilly-) Ahem… sorry this chapter took so long! I accidentally deleted some _really_ important files from the computer, and I had to take it in to get them recovered. I haven't been online at all lately, until now. I've also been reading more than I've been writing, (regular books, not fan fiction) a habit I hope to break soon. Things are getting busy again, and I won't be able to post as often. I'll write as much as I can and post when I have time. (Don't hold your breath…) Until then, well… (-shrugs-)

_Vivian_**:** Yes, the author's way of putting you off for other things.

_Me_**:** I'm not putting anything off… I'm doing all I can to do what must be done, and what I love to do, and keep them in balance. Unfortunately, things don't always go that easy.

_Vivian_**:** Suuuure…

_Me_**: **What? Oh, I see that look… you think that just because Fox and Krystal fell into your trap, they're gonna die.

_Vivian_**: **No, I think they're gonna try to escape, and I'm going to catch them and put them into my special 'chamber of death'.

_Krystal_**: **I don't get why you hate me so much. (-mccloudfan50 hands her the manuscript-) Oh… WHAT!? NO!! Nonononono you can't… can you DO that!? NO!! YOU CAN'T DO THAT!! IT CAN'T HAPPEN LIKE THAT!! NO!! (-Krystal is pulled away by two guards, still screaming-)

_Vivian_**: **I knew she'd love it! You said she'd hate that idea, but it was perfect! I told you so!

_Me_**:** Uh… yeah, whatever… Anyway, I had a request for another code, so… I decided to do one. On the next chapter. :)


	31. Chapter 31: Into the Darkness

**Chapter 31: Into the Darkness**

Krystal kicked the guard again, trying to get him off of her as she slid down the seemingly endless hole. It curved and dipped, making it a bit easier to stop. She had stopped herself several times, only to have the guard pull her down.

She kicked him a third time, and then she took out her staff and placed the tip on his chest, un-extended. She opened it, impaling the canine and killing him. She slowed herself again and pulled the weapon from the guard's body. A thick wave of sand came from behind, causing her to lose her balance. The staff caught sideways in the narrow tunnel, and it wedged itself into the rock. Krystal held onto it, trying to gain footing on the ground.

An endless flow of sand came from above, making it difficult for her to keep her balance. Her hands slipped from the staff, unable to hold on while being pulled. She stopped for a few seconds, slid several more feet, and kept falling.

She reached down, but there was no ground beneath the sand anymore. If there was some, it was far deeper than she'd anticipated. She dug her heels into the sand in attempt to stop. To her horror, the sand vanished from beneath her. She found herself falling, and screamed.

"Krystal!" Fox's voice echoed around the darkness. Just a little ways behind her, he tried to stand up and plowed into her staff. The rocks crumbled and the weapon came loose, disappearing beneath the sand. He lost his balance and tumbled down.

Before he could react, he slid off the edge and plummeted into space…

To his relief, it wasn't a thousand foot drop to certain death. A huge mountain of sand was about fifteen feet below the slide.

Krystal had hit the top of the sand first, and tried to hold herself steady on her feet. She managed to stop, but after a couple of seconds the sand moved and she found herself tumbling down. Fox had fallen in front of her, and he was rolling down too. He attempted to stop himself by digging his feet into the sand, but the sand just moved with him. He cursed under his breath and tried again to stop himself.

Krystal had her arms out, reaching for something – anything – to break her fall. All she managed to do was get sand under her nails. It was pitch black, and they couldn't see anything.

They finally came near the bottom of the long fall, although they couldn't see it. Fox almost managed to stop, but in trying to help Krystal, he tumbled with her to the hard floor. She landed on top of him with a groan. She relaxed and went limp, exhausted.

They stayed that way for several moments, panting to catch their breath. There was no light in the area, making it impossible to see anything, even with good night vision. The only sound was of their breathing.

Krystal tried to get up, but her muscles gave out and she collapsed. Fox reached up and put his arm on her back. Chills ran up Krystal's spine. Her heart beat faster as he reached up his other hand and stroked her hair. She was almost surprised he couldn't hear each heartbeat.

_He came after me… he dove in after me… Tony didn't… it was Fox… Vivian said we'd die if we fell into the hole… he knew it… he heard her say it… and he still came for me… he held onto my hand until he couldn't hold on any longer… and then he came after me… he's so strong… and handsome… and he respects me… and he smells so good… no… now isn't the time to worry about this… we have to get out of here…_ She carefully pushed herself up to her feet and stood, but she couldn't see anything.

Fox got up as well, trying to adjust his eyes to the nonexistent light. He couldn't even see her, although she was just a few inches in front of him. Krystal lifted her head and accidentally bumped her nose against his. She involuntarily gasped as butterflies stirred in her stomach.

_Don't think about it… just do it…_ Fox told himself. He leaned forward just slightly, causing their lips to touch. A thousand watts of electricity seemed to flow between them. They separated, startled by the sensation.

"Whoa…" Krystal whispered under her breath. "F-Fox?"

"Hm?"

"Did you… n-never mind…" She said.

"What?"

"It's… nothing…"

"Oh… Did you feel…? Um… I mean… uh…"

"Feel what?" Krystal asked.

"Nev-… uh… nothing…" Fox chuckled nervously.

"Could you… maybe, try that again?" Krystal inquired.

"Try what?"

Krystal's cheeks reddened. "N-never mind."

A low growl startled them. Fox turned around. They couldn't see in the intense darkness, but they knew that they weren't alone. A startling snort seemed very close.

Krystal gasped, stepping back as something touched her leg. She blinked a few times as her night vision tried to kick in. Even with good night vision, it was still pitch black. Fox reached for his blaster, only to find that it was gone. He winced, realizing that it must have come out of the holder when he'd been falling.

Krystal reached for her staff, but she remembered it was still wedged between the rocks, unless it'd come loose. They slowly backed up, away from whatever was in front of them. Something grabbed Krystal's leg and began to drag her away. She screamed, kicking at it and trying to grab something to hold onto.

"Krystal!" Fox called. He found a good sized rock on the floor after nearly tripping over it, and picked it up. He was afraid to throw it, lest he hit her. He could hear her screaming and struggling, and ran toward the sound. All he could see were faint shadows. He finally picked out two figures and hurled the rock at the larger shadow.

A deafening roar of pain echoed around the black abyss. Fox's ears flattened against his head, and he covered them as well. He grimaced in pain. The sound was so horrid and loud that his ears hurt. He squinted in the dark. Every sound was painful.

The sound that was loudest was the distinct ringing in his ears. Krystal screamed several times and he tried to pinpoint the sound, but he couldn't hear anything correctly.

Something wrapped around his waist and picked him up off the ground. He elbowed it hard, trying to get himself free. The next thing he saw was a blinding blue flash as his hearing returned to normal.

The creature dropped him and roared again, but not as loud as the first time. A blinding blue light appeared in the corner. Fox's eyes adjusted and he saw that it was Krystal. She had a force field around herself and the creature was attacking it.

It was quite a hideous monster, Fox saw for the first time. It almost looked like a raptor, and it had a sharp spiked tail. Thick scales covered its body. Its left 'arm' had two long, thick claws at the end. Its right 'arm' was mutated into a long thin limb, almost like a second tail, and it was at least eight feet long. If not, longer. Its right arm had no scales, unlike the rest of its body. It had two thick claws on each of its two large feet. Altogether, it looked to be about ten feet tall.

It's long, whip-like arm stretched out and grabbed Fox's ankle. He managed to grab the rock he'd thrown a few moments earlier as the creature dragged him toward itself, and slammed the rock down on the monster's arm. It cried out, dropping the vulpine.

Then it turned to Krystal. She tried to run, but it snagged her leg and pulled her back. She reached up and dug her nails into the skin on its mutated arm. It reached out with its claws and snagged the back of her shirt, tearing it. Krystal screamed and pulled away, with the result of it ripping in several places, and the left sleeve coming clean off. It had scratched her, but she couldn't tell if she was bleeding.

She realized with irritation that half of her shirt was now digesting in the creature's stomach. It had taken most of the back, the entire left sleeve, and the bottom half of the front. For now, that was the least of her problems.

Fox stumbled over a good-sized rock, and picked it up. He ran with it toward the creature, hoping to kill it. It saw him coming and snatched him up in its arm. Fox threw the rock, which landed on the creature's foot. The angered being hurled the vulpine through the air. He hit a wall with a crack and then dropped motionless to the ground.

Krystal put up a force field in the nick of time, blocking the next attack. The cruel looking monster pounded and scratched the shield. Krystal had to wonder how much longer she could take it. She winced as it threw its body against the shield. She charged up her energy and blasted the shield outwards, throwing the creature a few yards away.

It snatched her arm and jerked her toward it. She stumbled past it and fell near a wall, quickly putting up a shield around herself.

It let out a huge roar and threw its weight against the shield with great force. The shield broke, and Krystal cried in pain. The mutant being lunged at her and grabbed hold of her pant leg with its teeth. She kicked its face with her free leg and tried to get free. Her left pant leg ripped a bit, but the creature still had a good grip on it. She kicked it again, and struggled harder.

It put its head back and stood up, lifting her from the ground. The jeans ripped an almost straight line high around her upper left thigh, and her foot slid out of them. When she hit the ground, it knocked the wind out of her, but she managed to create a shield around herself.

Over by the other wall, Fox slowly came to. The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was the glowing blue force field, with the creature pounding on it.

The next thing he saw was his blaster.

He picked it up and shook the sand off of it, and then he shot the creature's tail. "Hey, sand brain! Over here!" Fox yelled, shooting it again. The lasers had no effect on the monster. Fox then charged the gun. Aiming carefully, he shot the end of its tail off. It roared and ran toward him. Fox barely managed to dive out of the way of the angry monster. Krystal kept up her shield so they could see.

Fox shot the mutant's right arm, and it roared it pain. Now extremely angry, it lunged for Fox and grabbed him around his waist. It threw him straight up into the air and opened its mouth, ready to devour him when he fell back down.

Krystal gasped, and then she shot an energy blast at it. The monster was thrown off balance and stumbled backward. Fox fell to the ground with a thud and a groan. He lifted his blaster and charged it for a shot.

The creature darted past him and ran toward Krystal. She put up a shield several feet away from her to stop it, but the shield broke. She fell to her knees, weakened by the energy. Fox shot a flare into the air. It hit something several feet up, and then it flew back down. Krystal looked up and screamed. The creature was only a few feet away from her, and it was charging. Fox pulled the trigger on his blaster and shot the mutant's leg, severing it at the knee. It stumbled to the ground, and then lunged for the vixen with its mutated arm. Fox charged another shot, and fired. That shot blasted the creature's arm straight out of the socket.

The creature was only a few inches from Krystal. It opened its mouth, and lunged for her. She screamed, ducking to the ground and covering her head with her hands. Fox gasped. He had a charged shot, and quickly lifted the gun. He knew he had only a split second to aim and shoot. He pulled the trigger and closed his eyes… When he opened them again, he sighed in relief.

That final charged shot had been aimed at the beast's head. It lay motionless on the ground.

Krystal was still on the floor, trembling. Fox hurried over to her and touched her shoulder. She flinched, looking up at him, and then she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. He put his arms around her waist and held her tight.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly. She nodded.

"…thank you." She whispered.

Fox didn't reply. He just held her there in his arms, feeling more content than he had been in a while.

Krystal let go and pushed herself a few inches away from him. "Fox, I-I'm so sorry… I got you into this. I… I'm sorry…" She said.

"Don't be sorry… It's not your fault. It's high time I saw some action, anyhow." He joked.

Krystal sighed. "I think we should be trying to find a way out of here. Eventually, we'll either find a way out, someone will rescue us, or we'll die a long, horrible death." She said, and then gasped. "Hey, it's my staff!" She cried, leaping up and running over to it. She sighed in relief and picked it up. It was still extended. "I'll not leave you behind like that again…" She mumbled.

Fox watched her for a few seconds, and then he got up and sat by the wall. It was carved out of dirt. Another wall was several feet away, just out of sight. It was made of cement, and had several cracks in it.

Krystal sighed, sitting on the other side of the flare that Fox had shot a few minutes before. It flickered several times. They sat like that for a long time. "Whaddaya think'll happen?" She asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know… I've only got two flares left, which means we'll run out of light pretty soon. And the temperature's dropping. It must be evening outside. Tony should've gone to get help. If he did, then someone'll come along sooner or later." Fox said. _Oh, crap… I socked him in the face two seconds before I jumped in the hole… he probably doesn't want to get help… uhg, how could I be so stupid!?_

"I hope so… I'm getting hungry. And tired…" Krystal sighed. She lay down on the dirt, staring up into the seemingly endless dark abyss. The flare flickered again, and then it went out. Krystal gasped. "Fox?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are you?" She asked.

"Right here…"

"Oh, that's very specific." Krystal sat up, looking around in the dark.

"Can I open my eyes now?" Fox joked.

Krystal laughed. "I dunno… Can I?"

"There's not much difference… Who turned off the sun?"

Krystal giggled more.

"It's so dark that even when I close my eyes, I can't see my eyelids…" Fox said.

Krystal doubled over laughing.

"What?"

"You can't see your eyelids anyway, silly!"

"Yes, you can! Well… _I_ can…" Fox said. "Don't you see the dark black when you close your eyes?"

"No… I can't see _anything_ when I close my eyes…" Krystal said.

"Well, you're just not looking hard enough."

"Frankly, I can't tell whether my eyes are open or closed right now, and I don't think you can either."

"Well… can you see your hand in front of your face?" Fox asked.

"No…"

"Hm… me neither…" Fox said. "Hey, can you see that?"

"See what?"

"Your staff… it's glowing." Fox said.

Krystal turned around to see the blue gems in her staff giving off a faint glow. No one would've noticed if it was light, but the darkness soaked up the glow. After her eyes adjusted, she could see Fox in the shadows.

She stood up and stuck the staff into the ground, and then she activated the shield ability. The light from it illuminated enough for them to see each other. Krystal sat down and sighed, bringing her knees to her chest. The glow seemed brighter since Fox's eyes had adjusted, and the tint of blue light glowed an Krystal's fur. He couldn't help but stare.

Her hair was tangled, and her face was dirty, and her clothes were filthy and torn, yet to him, she was more beautiful than ever.

He gazed at her, wanting nothing more than to hold her in his arms.

She lay back, staring into the blackness. The temperature had dropped considerably, and she shivered a bit.

"You alright?" Fox asked.

"Yeah…" She replied. "I wonder if we'll ever get outta here."

"I'm sure we will. There's probably help on the way right now." Fox said. After a long moment of thought, he got up and sat next to her. She smiled, and then sighed.

"Uhg… I'm a mess. I've got one half shorts, and one half pants." Krystal said. "I've got shants."

Fox laughed. "Shants, or ports…" He said.

"I like shants." Krystal said.

"Yeah, me too. How'd you do that, anyhow?" Fox inquired.

"Our mutual '_friend_' decided I'd be better off without long pant legs in the heat. Apparently he didn't like my shirt, either."

Fox chuckled.

"What happened to Tony?" Krystal asked.

"Um… he… I dunno. I hope he went for help…" Fox said uneasily. _I hope I didn't knock him out…_

"Knock him out!?" Krystal exclaimed, having just read his mind. Fox grimaced. "What happened!?"

"Uh… he… um… I…" Fox sighed. "IkindamaybepuchedhiminthefacejustbeforeIjumpedinthehole…" He mumbled.

"What?"

"I just told you." Fox said.

"Yes but Ican'tunderstandyouwhenyoutalkthisfast." Krystal said.

"Huh?"

"See? It's hard to understand when you talk like that." Krystal said.

"Well, maybe I don't wanna tell you." Fox said.

"Well, maybe I wanna read your mind." Krystal said.

"NO!!" Fox blurted. "Okay, I'll tell you!"

"Why are you so nervous about me reading your mind?" Krystal asked.

"I'm not nervous!" He said quickly.

"Yes, you are!" Krystal countered. "I can feel your emotions. What, are you hiding something?"

"No! I don't have anything to hide! It's just easier for me to tell you." Fox lied. "I… I got mad at Tony because… he told me not to jump in after you. He grabbed me and wasn't gonna let me go, so… I… uh… lost control and punched him…"

"Fox!" Krystal snapped. She laughed. "I can't believe you did that!"

"I can't believe you're not mad…" Fox said.

"It's so hard to be mad at you, though. Plus, if you hadn't, you wouldn't be here, and I'd… never have stood a chance. I'd have died." Krystal said softly. "I don't even think there's a way out of this. Vivian sure planned it well. Even if you survive the fall and the monster, theres no way back."

"Well, unless someone's got an ocean of water or a _really_ long rope, we're not getting back out the way we came. We should probably look around and see if there's another way." Fox said. As if on cue, there was a strange gurgle. Krystal slowly stood up and looked around.

Just then, the staff's shield turned off, leaving them in the dark.

------

**Author's Notes: **_I_ a_m_ t_e_h _m_a_s_t_o_h _o_f _e_v_i_l_n_e_s_s… (-laughs evilly-)

_Vivian_**:** _You_? I _killed_ my own _mother_… you can't get much more evil than that.

_Me_**:** Yes, but I _invented_ you. Without me, you don't exist, and it was my idea that you killed your mother.

_Vivian_**:** I still say _I_ am the Queen of Evilness.

_Me_**:** Um… no one called the position of '_Queen_ of Evilness'… have at it.

_Vivian_**:** Yes, but you're-…

_Me_**:** You're Q_ueen_ of evilness. I am _Master_ of evilness. _SO THERE_!! I'm not _queen_ or _king_, so those two positions are open.

_Vivian_**:** Oh-_kay_… what_ever_… _Some_one's in a bad mood…

_Me_**:** (-pushes her out of the room-) OKAY!! Anyway… I promised a code, so here it is. Sorry for the long delay. My computer is dead; it won't turn on. But I got a cool new laptop for Christmas, so, let's hope this one doesn't break too. To top that off, I logged in here only to get lost... how do you get lost on a computer? I don't really know.... but it happened anyway. So I'll post again when I have typed up the next chapter, that and found my way through the site...

About the code... Don't kill me because I'm the writer of this story. Don't kill me because I wrote an amazing code that only I can decipher. And yes it does mean something. If I'm the only one who can decipher it and you killed me, you'd never figure it out!! So again, don't kill me. I'll reveal this awesome secret later in this story. And here's a hint: I used (partially) the same code that I did a while back. The rest... is a whole different thing. :) First one done gets a cookie!! lol (IF you get done, that is...)

**CODE:**

KkfzWbmuouvoov!

Zztopof'ldpzmp

Golc!

oduk!


	32. Chapter 32: Found

**Chapter 32: Found  
**

Krystal blinked in the dark, trying to let her eyes adjust. She picked up her staff and examined it, wondering why it had suddenly died that way. Dim light shone from above the pile of sand that they'd fallen from. A creaking sound, like the walls were being stressed, came from behind her.

"Fox?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you feel that?"

The ground the two vulpines were standing on began to shake very slightly.

"The ground's shaking…" Fox mumbled.

Krystal kneeled down and put her hand on the trembling floor. "It's coming from that wall." She said, standing up. A thin stream of water trickled from somewhere and reached her foot. "Huh?" She knelt and touched it. When she stood again, a spew of water sprouted from the wall and sprayed her in the face. "Augh!" She put her hands up to block it and stepped back several feet.

"What is it?" Fox asked.

"I don't know… Something just sprayed me in the face. It was water." Krystal replied. Her eyes began to adjust more clearly. She could see the faint outline of the sand pile they'd fallen down.

"What the…" The sound of something big snapping into pieces echoed about, along with the sound of rushing water. Fox darted toward the hill of sand. "Go! Get up! Hurry!" He said quickly, trying to climb up the sand. Krystal realized what was happening and began to follow him. It was hard to climb the dry, soft sand, but they were doing their best. A huge wave of water flowed into the area, slowly soaking up the sand. Krystal was at the very edge of it, nearly falling in several times.

All it would take was one mistake…

She knew that the water was coming in faster than she could climb, but she tried anyway, until her foot caught in the mud. She pulled it out and kept climbing, but every step was slow. Every time she took one foot out of the mud, the other caught. Fox was several feet ahead of her. She tried to move her free leg up and give herself leeway to jerk out of the mud, but her free foot was no longer free. She struggled for a few seconds as the muddy water rose higher.

"Fox!" She cried. The water was up to her knees. She couldn't move her legs. Fox carefully moved back down. The water was rising fast. It was up to her thighs, and close to her hips. Fox grabbed her arms and pulled, but she was still stuck. It was almost to her waist. He planted his feet firmly in the sand and put his hands on her upper arms, next to her shoulders. He pulled with all his strength, but she remained stuck in the sand. She furiously dug at her legs, trying to help free herself.

Fox dove into the water, careful to avoid the sand. Working fast, he gently pulled her foot free of the mud, and then the other one. Upon being freed, the vixen swam away from the sand, out into the water. Fox resurfaced, swimming over to her. They were both treading water.

"Don't go near the sand… you'll get stuck." Fox said.

"I'm sorry…" She said.

"For what?"

"For dragging you into this… It's my fault." Krystal said. She gasped and looked down. "Something just touched my leg!"

"What?" Fox asked, looking down.

"I dunno, but it fe-!" Before she could finish her sentence, she was dragged underwater.

"Krystal!" Fox took a deep breath and dove under after her. A strange creature that looked like an octopus had a tight grip on her ankle. Fox swam down faster. Krystal drew her staff from her back and was trying to stab it, but it dodged every time. Fox took the staff from her and stabbed its leg. The squid-like thing let go of her, and reached for Fox. He stabbed it again, in the center of its body. It swam away from him and vanished into the darkness. Fox quickly resurfaced for a breath.

"Fox! I found a ledge!" Krystal cried. She was standing up in the water, which was just past her hips. Fox quickly swam over to her and got up, handing her the staff. "Fox, I'm so sorry… I keep getting into trouble…" She said sadly.

"It's not your fault." Fox said. The water had stopped rising so fast, and it was nearly silent in the large underground lair.

"I don't know how we're gonna get out of this." Krystal said.

Fox looked around, seeing only dim shadows. An odd light had enveloped the area. It wasn't bright, but it made it so that they could at least see around them. "What on…" He cut himself off, looking down. The light came from the water. The water itself seemed to glow a light, aqua blue-green. Krystal closed her eyes and looked away from him. A few tears trickled down her already wet face, camouflaging themselves with the drops of water.

They dropped into the deep pool below, which had slowly made its way to the foxes' elbows. Krystal's hands clung to her arms just above the surface. She shivered once as another tear fell. Fox reached forward and placed his hands on her arms.

"We'll make it out alright…" He said. His voice echoed lightly in the abyss beyond them. He reached up with one hand and gently lifted her chin with one finger, looking her in the eyes. "I promise." He said.

"Don't promise something you can't deliver." Krystal said. Tingles ran down her spine as his thumb stroked her cheek. He sighed softly, drawing her into a hug. Krystal placed her cheek against his shoulder, holding back sobs. She didn't know whether or not they'd make it to see the team again. Pushing herself from the embrace, she looked up into his emerald green eyes. "What if we never make it out?" She asked. "What if we die here?"

"We won't… I'm sure someone's gone for help. We'll be out of here soon…" Fox replied, with more optimism than he really had.

"What if they haven't, and we…" She trailed off, shaking her head and looking down. "What if we die…?"

"What if...?" Fox asked.

The water was rising again. It was nearly to Krystal's shoulders.

He bit his lip, and he seemed to be thinking hard about something. "I…" He sighed. "No matter…" He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "No matter what happens, I'll always love you."

Krystal stared up at him, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Don't… don't talk like that… you just said we'd make it, and now…" She paused.

Fox looked into her eyes. "Whether we make it or not… I'll love you until the end of time."

Krystal bit her lip, knowing that he meant it. She held back a sob, and hugged him tightly as tears formed in her eyes. Fox hugged her back. He tilted his head down and placed his cheek against her head. The water was now to Krystal's shoulders. Fox placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her back, and then he pulled her close again and kissed her.

She melted into it, wrapping her arms about his neck and stepping closer to him. He kissed her passionately and held her tighter against himself, as if any second she'd be taken from him. He reluctantly broke the kiss and put his nose in her hair.

"The water's rising. We have to find a way out… maybe back the way we came." He said softly.

From the soft, dim light in the underground area, Fox caught sight of the end of the hole they'd fallen from. There was no sand on it.

"Look, that's where we fell from… Come on!" He said suddenly, stepping off of the ledge and treading water. Krystal followed, and they swam to the edge. It was just out of reach.

"Jump!" Fox said, just before he disappeared underwater. Krystal kicked hard and boosted herself a few inches higher. Fox grabbed her legs and pushed her up to the point where she could reach the edge. She grabbed it tight and began to pull herself up.

"What about you?" She asked, looking down at Fox.

"The water's still rising… I'll be up in a few minutes. Start climbing; I'll catch up." He ordered.

Krystal nodded and began to climb up the slide formed of rocks and dirt. It was worn down and smooth, making it difficult to go very fast. As she got higher, it got steeper.

Down at the end, Fox dove underwater and swam up as fast as he could. He boosted from the water with his eyes shut tight and reached out blindly for the ledge. To his surprise, it struck his elbow. He placed his other arm on it, stopping himself from falling back into the water. He winced as his elbow began to smart painfully and his hand went numb.

Suddenly, something grabbed his leg and pulled him back into the water. He opened his eyes and looked down. It was the same creature from before. Fox kicked it, and it let him go. As he swam away, it followed closely.

_If I can just get above the surface, my blaster will work..._ He thought. His mind raced as his lungs begged for air. He broke the surface and managed a breath before he was pulled back under. He drew his blaster and struck the creature with the handle. It recoiled, waiting to strike out at Fox.

He kicked back to the surface, turned around, drew his blaster, and fired just above the water. The black blob below him shrank back. Fox reached for the ledge, which was now only a few inches above the water. He pulled himself up as fast as he could, and then he turned around.

The creature rose out of the water, looking more hideous than ever.

Fox grinned sheepishly. "Um... I'd love to fight, but I've got a life to live..." He turned around and scrambled up through the tunnel. It was difficult, as the slide was wet from Krystal climbing it. He made it around a bend, where she was sitting down.

"What's wrong?" He asked. No sooner had he asked, he realized what had happened. The slide was very steep for about ten feet, with nothing to grab onto.

"What do we do?" Krystal asked.

"I dunno…" Fox said, shrugging. They stood there for a few minutes as the water began to catch up to them. "I guess just wait 'til the water pushes us up and out." They sat there for a few minutes, waiting for the slowly rising water. It was still a few yards down the slide.

They sat silently for several hours, or so it seemed. Krystal shivered slightly as the temperature from above dropped. Her fur was still wet, and she was getting cold. Fox moved next to her and put his arms around her. Krystal smiled slightly, leaning back into his embrace. The water had risen slowly, but it was now just a few inches away from them.

It suddenly bubbled up and began to rise quicker. They stood up. It was already inches from their knees.

"What's going on?" Krystal asked.

Fox shrugged. "I guess we're going up."

"Hey! Is anyone down there?" A voice echoed from above.

"Help us!!" They called up at the same time.

"Help! We're down here!" Krystal shouted. A rope fell down, about a foot and a half out of reach. Fox leapt up, reaching for the rope. He grabbed the edge of it with one hand and reached down to Krystal. "Hold my hand." He said. Krystal reached up and took his hand, holding on with both palms. "I've got you… Don't let go."

Krystal nodded. The water was to her waist.

Whoever was at the top began to pull up the rope. Fox held tight to the rope, making sure he wasn't falling, while at the same time holding tight to Krystal. Their wet palms were slipping as they were slowly pulled up to safety. Fox gripped her hand as tight as he could, straining his muscles. To his horror, she was still slipping.

"Hold on…" He said.

"I'm slipping!" Krystal cried.

"Don't let go." Fox said.

Her fingers were slowly slipping out of his grip. He looked up and saw the opening into the dark sky. "Fox!" Krystal screamed as her fingers slid from his grip.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Woo! I'm on a roll! Next chapter just needs a name and a beginning and a middle and an end. No problem. I'll be asleep if anyone needs me.

_Tony**:**_ You, are a joke.

_Me**: **_Thank you, kind sir.

_Tony**:**_ Case and point.

_Me**:**_ Precisely.

_Tony**:**_ Why'd I have to be the ba-...

_Me**:**_ SHUT UP!! Don't you REALIZE that they are watching!? (-looks at you-)

_Tony**:**_ Yeah, who cares... I hate this job.

_Me**:**_ It's not a job. You quit here, you die. (-Is holding a gun-) It's called life, dear friend.

_Tony**:**_ (-Holds up script-) It's called blackmail, dear friend. You wouldn't want this to get out over the site, now would you?

_Me**:**_ (-Shoots him-) No, I wouldn't. Too bad I have to replace you now. (-Grins evilly...looks at you, face turns serious-) _You_ didn't see _anything_.


	33. Chapter 33: The Bet

**Chapter 33: The Bet**

"_NO_!!" Fox shouted. He watched in horror as she fell back down the long slide. "Lower me back down!"

"Sir, the rope's thinning. It won't hold you for another trip." The canine at the top said.

"I don't care!! She's still down there, now _LOWER ME BACK DOWN NOW_!!" Fox snapped angrily.

"I'm afraid we can't do that…"

Thoroughly angered, Fox let go of the rope and grabbed a small niche in the rocks. His fingers slipped and he slid down the hole. He managed to stop himself a little way down. "Krystal!" He called. There was no answer. He climbed further down. "Krystal!!" There was still no answer. He slid a few feet, and gasped. She was lying unconscious in an awkward position, with the water almost to her muzzle.

Fox hurried down to her and steadied himself. He carefully made sure she didn't have any obvious major injuries, and then he lifted her up into his arms.

"Hey!! Lower the rope!" He shouted. There was no answer. "We're still down here!! Just lower the rope back down!!" Fox shouted. The water lapped at his shoes. Still, nothing happened.

Finally, a voice was heard, although not addressing him. "_HE SAID LOWER THE ROPE, YOU DIP SH-T_!!"

Fox smiled, in spite of the situation. "Thanks, Falco!"

A few seconds later, the rope fell down. He was several feet higher than the last spot, and he could now reach it perfectly. He placed one arm around Krystal's waist, and then he gripped the rope with his free hand and his feet. The water was rising fast again, and it was already to his knees.

"Pull me up, and hurry! Krystal's unconscious… I think she hit her head." Fox said.

He began to be lifted up toward safety. The hole into the open was soon in sight. The rope jerked, lowering several inches and throwing McCloud off balance. He clung to Krystal's limp form with one arm, and the rope with the other.

"What happened?" He shouted up.

"The rope… it's frayed and tearing!" Falco said. "Hurry up, you lazy wimps!"

Holding on just with his arm, Fox moved Krystal into a better position, and also a higher one. Two pairs of hands reached down to him. "Grab her! Hurry!" Fox said. Falco and another canine grabbed Krystal's shoulders and carefully pulled her up. Fox sighed in relief, hanging limp on the rope with his hands gripping it. He summoned the last of his strength and pulled himself up to the edge.

The rope broke just as he reached for it, throwing him off balance again. He grabbed the edge with one hand, stopping his almost fall. He took a deep breath and hauled himself over the edge with a groan of effort. Once he'd made it, he lay back on the sand, panting. The dogs who had helped them stood talking in a circle, arguing about a trivial matter.

Falco walked over to him. "Tony told me what happened. You were brave, going after her like that." He said.

"He was being a jerk… I told him to shoot that cat before she could do anything, but he just stood there like a coward. Krystal had almost fallen down that hole, but I grabbed her hand. I couldn't pull her up. The lady's guard was holding on to her feet. I told Tony I couldn't hold her much longer, and I needed his help. He just stood there. When he finally did shoot her, she just vanished and he missed. Then he came to help me, but Krystal fell. I tried to jump in after her, but he stopped me. I gave him a sock in the face and then jumped in. Man, I've never felt so good after punching someone." Fox said.

Falco chuckled. "Felt good to get a little revenge, huh?" He asked.

"Yeah… I guess…" Fox sighed. "I'm wiped…"

"I'll bet… you were down there for hours. What happened to her shirt…?" Falco asked suspiciously.

"Long story…" Fox said.

"Oooh…" Falco said teasingly.

"No, not like that… We ran into some kind of… mutated freak. It seemed pretty upset that we woke it up, and it put up one hell of a fight. It had the advantage; it was pitch black." Fox explained.

"Ah…" Falco sighed. He smirked. "I know you couldn't help yourself… especially when she was wet."

"Shut up…" Fox groaned.

"See, you're in denial!"

"I said _shut up_… I wouldn't do that…" Fox said, knowing what Falco was talking about. "Plus… she wouldn't want to, even if I would."

"How do you know?" Falco asked.

"Tony."

"Please… like she'd care." Falco said.

Fox sighed. "She would care. I've lost her. Tony's… better."

"Hey, who dove in after her to save her? Tony? Or you?" Falco asked.

Fox sighed. "It's not her choice… it's Tony's. I… I made a stupid decision. It sounded alright at the time, but… I should've known I'd never actually have the guts to do anything about it."

"Great, what'd you do now?" Falco asked.

"I… I made a bet… with Tony." Fox said.

"Go on…" Falco urged.

"It…" Fox sighed. "It was the stupidest thing I've done in a very long time. I know I'll never be able to win it. Dad and Peppy raised me to know better, but now I've let them both down."

"What was the bet about?" Falco asked.

"Krystal…" Fox paused, as if reluctant to tell.

"You know what I'm asking about, so tell me already! What did you bet?" Falco blurted out.

"I… Tony started it. He…" Fox sighed, stopping again.

"Spit it out!"

"He said that… he said that whoever could sleep with her first could get her. I'll never be able to do it. I respect her too much." Fox said sadly.

"You ass… that's the stupidest bet I've ever heard. You wouldn't normally have said yes to that sort of thing. Why would you agree to something like that?" Falco asked.

"He said if I didn't agree, I had no hopes of getting her to choose me, and I was just a sorry loser…" Fox said angrily. "I was so immature, and it's cost me everything."

"Maybe you still have a chance. Is there a deadline?" Falco asked.

"He didn't say."

"Well… maybe you could marry her, or something. Then you'll win!" Falco said.

"You idiot… with him in the picture, I don't stand a chance." Fox snapped. He looked down in guilt, feeling ashamed. "He was right… I'm not good enough for her."

"You sorry loser! Stop feeling sorry for yourself, and _do_ something! You're gonna end up being the forty-year-old virgin, man!" Falco scolded.

Fox scoffed. "I don't care… She's the only one I've ever felt like this about, and I've handed her to him on a gold platter."

"Shut the h-ll up! What did you just _SAY_!? You… I can't believe you. You sit here whining about it instead of doing something. You're Fox McCloud! The great mercenary! Fearless leader! And you've been put down by one silly bet… not even the girl. The bet. You _can_ call it off, you know. There's always a way out of it." Falco said.

"I can't just call it off! He'll just say how stupid I am!" Fox sighed. "I don't wanna talk about it anymore."

"Fine… Maybe he'll give up after a while, if you can keep her distracted." Falco suggested.

"I said I _don't wanna talk about it…_" Fox snapped.

"Alright, alright! I'm outta here… I'm headed over to the room they said I could have. You're entitled to a room also. Just ask." The avian looked around. The dogs had all left several minutes before, forgetting all about anything else. "The others are gone. You want me to help you bring Krystal back to the base? She doesn't look like she's gonna wake up anytime soon."

"Nah, you go ahead. I'll catch up in a few minutes. I just need to get to the point where I can stand." Fox said.

"Most of the guys are asleep… I can find someone to come help you, if you want."

"I said I'm fine."

"Alright, suit yourself…" Falco got up and walked away, off toward the base. "Let me know if she ends up pregnant!" He yelled from a few yards away.

"Shut the _h-ll_ up!!" Fox shouted. He lay back on the sand, sighing. _ What was I even thinking? I'll never do it… I'm just too afraid of what'd happen… what if she had my kid? I'm a mercenary, like my dad… what if I died, like my dad? And she was left to raise a kid alone… I couldn't do that… Gah, what am I thinking? She'd never have my kid… I guess she'll end up with Tony… He's more of a man than I am, so she'll be better off… I'd better get over to the base, and see if they've picked anything up on radar… I need to figure out where that Vivian girl went… _Fox sighed again, and then he sat up with a groan.

He looked over at Krystal, who was still unconscious, and then he crawled over to her. He took her hand and whispered softly. "I'm sorry I wasn't good enough… If you're happy with him, I'll leave you alone. It's supposed to be your choice. I'll let you make it. I'll always love you…" He gently lifted her limp body into his arms and walked toward the base.

It was almost morning. The sky began to lighten, and the air got just slightly warmer.

He stopped as Krystal stirred slightly in his arms, and then he took a deep breath and continued walking. His arms ached, and he felt as if he'd collapse, but he wouldn't let it happen. He summoned his strength and kept walking until he'd made it to the base. He easily found the secret door, knowing it was there from the last time he was there.

"Hey… open up! It's Fox McCloud… Please open the door!" He said, knowing that they had cameras and microphones hidden throughout the base.

After several clicks, the door opened and he walked inside. The few employees still awake were lagging around, doing random things.

"Falco said you had a room." Fox said.

"Yes… go that way and turn left at the sixth hall. Then go straight and after the eighth hall, there are five rooms. The closest one is still open. All other rooms in the base are occupied." A chipmunk said.

"Thanks…" Fox was too tired to realize what the employee had just said.

He walked down the halls, half asleep but still carrying Krystal. He stopped at the room and shifted her weight to his knee to open the door.

He carried the vixen across the room and set her down on the bed. He carefully pulled the blankets up to her neck, and then he looked around.

_Wait… the closest one is still open, all other rooms in… oh, crap… Everyone else is asleep… This is the only open room… I'll just sleep in the chair, and I'll wake up before Krystal and be out of the room before she's even awake…_

There was a chair in the corner of the room. It didn't look that comfortable, but he didn't have much of a choice. He sat in the chair and made himself as comfortable as possible before he drifted off…

* * *

**Author's Notes: **I had a hard time with this chapter choosing whether or not to go with the bet. I finally decided I was too lazy to re-do it, so here it is. Sorry it's a bit short, hopefully the next chapter will be longer. And I'm gonna have to do something about Tony…

_Vivian_: Well, that's your own fault, isn't it?

_Me_: Oh, shush up. There's always the stunt double.

_Vivian_: Um… in case you didn't notice, you killed the stunt double.

_Me_: Huh? Oh, right! I, uh, meant to do that! (-sheepish grin-)

_Vivian_: Whatever…


	34. Chapter 34: Vivian's Secret

**Chapter 34: Vivian's Secret**

Vivian scoffed. The knife in her hands made tapping sounds as it connected with the wooden cutting board, slicing through the vegetables.

_No... please... not again..._

Sweat ran down her cheeks. She took a shaky breath. Her fingers trembled on the hard, wooden handle of the weapon. Her face showed anger. She cut another of the roots into small slices.

An old white cat sat in a chair behind her, knitting. She, too, had been banished from the village.

_Please... don't be this dream again..._

Vivian glanced over her shoulder with a glare. She hated that woman. They may be related, but she had been banished for a good reason. Vivian, on the other hand, felt she had been severely punished for an unjust cause. The law on the island of Cerinia was that each family could only have two children. When her mother became pregnant a third time, Vivian was sent to live with her grandmother on the outskirts. For this, she hated her mother and baby sister.

She cut into another root, with a vengeance. She hated cooking. She loathed the very thought of cutting roots and carrots for another day. She glared over her shoulder again. Her grandmother and her looked a great deal alike, minus the aging of the older woman. She was asleep in the chair, her scarf or whatever-it-was that she was making was spread out on her lap.

_Please.... wake up... please..._

Vivian walked out of the door, angered to her bones. In her fury, she had forgotten to put down the knife.

_No... I'm sorry... It was an accident... wake up..._

She walked swiftly down the path, glancing about for any sign of the forest guards. If she was seen trying to enter the village, she would be beaten. She was an outcast.

_I'm sorry! Please, let me wake up! I don't want to see it again!_

She entered the village. Clear. She used the less traveled path, to avoid unwanted attention. Then, she saw it. The house that she'd lived in until she was eight. Until her own mother banished her in front of the entire island. She walked up to the door.

_No... don't answer the door... don't, please! I'm sorry... Please, forgive me, mother..._

Before she had reached the doorstep, the door opened. Out walked Vivian's mother. She was very beautiful, a fox with whitish fur that looked blue in some lights. She was a telepath, and had sensed her daughter's presence.

"Vivian, why are you here?" She asked softly.

"I'm sick of this. It's not right. Just because the village council came up with that stupid rule, it doesn't mean that I should have to suffer!" Vivian cried, tears rising to her eyes.

_Why must you cause me this eternal pain?_

"Calm down. I made the choice I thought was best for you. I could either send you away, or kill my unborn child. That's what they told me. Do you think it's fair to kill a living being before they've had a chance to truly live? To end an innocent life because of selfish reasons?"

"Is it fair to send an innocent little girl away from her mother to live with a crazy woman?" Vivian retorted. "I'd rather have had you kill me."

The door opened, and Vivian's five-year-old sister walked outside. "Mommy!" She ran and wrapped her arms around her mother's leg, staring in curiosity at the fourteen-year-old feline who stood before her.

"Go inside, honey." Her mother said softly. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

_I'm sorry! How many times can I tell you that!? Please, let me wake up!_

"It's your fault I have to suffer!" Vivian cried to her sister. The young vixen looked at Vivian with surprise.

"Don't tell her that! You know that's not true!" Her mother snapped. She turned to the young girl by her side. "Go inside; now. I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Yeah, you're so sweet to _her_! But what about me!? Why can't _I_ have a mother, too!" A tear ran down her white furred cheek.

_No! I can't take it... please, wake up!_

Vivian's young sister walked to the door, and she turned around, peering around the corner.

"Vivian, you have to go back. The council will not understand, you know that. You have to go before they realize you're here. I'm sorry." Vivian's mother whispered.

"It's not fair!! I hate you!" Vivian screamed, slamming her fists against her mother's shoulders. Her eyes widened in horror. The knife was still in her hands. She stepped back, pulling the knife from her mother's chest. Tears filled her eyes. The knife clattered to the ground.

She watched with tearful eyes as her mother sank to her knees, blood running from the wound. Her heart caught in her throat. She couldn't take back the last words she'd said to her mother.

"Mommy?" A small voice said.

Vivian gasped, looking at her sister. "No... Father!!" She screamed.

He opened the door and stepped out of the house. "Keila?" He stared in shock. "Vivian, what have you done!?" He shouted.

"I-I didn't mean to, I swear!" She cried, tears falling freely.

Her father ran to his wife, holding her in his arms. "Somebody, help!" He yelled. "Get the doctor! Please, someone help her!"

"NOOOOO!!" Vivian sat bolt upright, eyes wide, tear stains on her face. Her shoulders shook and she began to sob. "I'm sorry!" She wailed.

There was a knock on her door. "Miss Vivian, are you alright?" A voice asked.

She sniffed, wiping away the stray tears. "Yes, I'm fine." She said in the most sturdy voice she could manage.

"The warp hole is having difficulties. We're unable to shut it down."

"What?"

"We can't turn off the warp hole on Zoness. If we can't figure out a way to disable it, we're going to be underwater in a matter of minutes."

The white feline got out of her bed. "I'll be down in two minutes. If it's not down by then, sound the evacuation alarm."

"There may be a problem. Since the gate is using all of the energy to keep the warp hole open, we will be unable to use it to escape. We'll have to go on foot. Also..."

"Then we go on foot. What else?" She snapped.

"We've picked up an intruder. We haven't caught him, but he sent us a message. He claims to be your brother."

She muttered his name softly. "Kill him. We'll evacuate."

(**Meanwhile...**)_  
_

Krystal slowly opened her eyes, feeling fatigued but not sleepy. She couldn't remember how she'd ended up where she was… She sat up and looked around the room. She gasped as she saw Fox sleeping in a chair. It didn't look very comfortable. She wondered why he was in the room in the first place, and why he was sleeping in that chair. She crawled to the edge of the bed and lay on her stomach, watching him. Her head was propped up on her hands. She smiled, thinking about the night before.

"_No matter what happens, I'll always love you…_" "_Whether we make it or not__…__ I'll love you until the end of time…_" She knew that he had meant it, and he always would. A single tear formed, and slowly made its way down her cheek.

Fox stirred in his sleep. He slowly opened his eyes, letting them adjust to the dim light. The room was white, and the lights from outside the room were coming under the door. He stretched and yawned. "Good morning…" He said, standing up and stretching his back. Krystal's eyes widened as his back cracked several times.

"Wow…" She said.

Fox chuckled. "Yeah… I guess I was more cramped than I thought." He said.

"Why did you sleep in the chair?" Krystal asked.

"Um… there were only five rooms available, and… Well, evryone else was sleeping. You were asleep, so I figured you wouldn't mind me sleeping in the chair. I thought I'd wake up before you and leave before you woke up… I guess I was more tired than I thought." He said.

"You didn't have to sleep in a chair!" Krystal said.

"Yeah, but…" Fox sighed.

"What?" Krystal asked.

"Ah, nothing." Fox sighed again, slumping back into the chair. "Just… this whole thing is so complicated. I mean, there's people disappearing all the time, everyone's all paranoid and freaked out, there's a whole underground chamber filled with mutant creatures, you need some better clothes…" He stopped. Krystal was sitting on the edge of the bed giving him her 'you have _got_ to be kidding me' look, complete with crossed arms. "What?"

"You…" She said, "…have _got_ to kidding me."

"What?!" Fox asked.

Krystal laughed. "You're freaking out!"

"I have a perfectly good reason for freaking out. We're on a mission that we're in no shape to be completing." Fox said.

"Calm down! We'll be okay. I can borrow something from Katt. I'm sure we'll figure this out soon." She said.

"Hey, I've got an idea..." Fox said, a thoughtful look on his face.

"What?"

"Come on. I want to show you something."

"But what about the people here?"

"Ah... I'll have them do a radar scan, or something." Fox replied. "Come on. Borrow some clothes from Katt and meet me at the front." He stood up and walked to the door. "You coming, or what?"

"Alright... but where are we going?" She asked.

"You'll see." Fox grinned, walked into the hallway and closing the door behind him. He nearly jumped at the sight of Falco.

"So...?" Falco smirked.

"What...?"

"How'd it go...?"

Fox looked confused for a moment. "Oh, Falco, come on!" He groaned, turning and walking down the hall. Falco followed. "Will you drop it?"

"So, did'ja win the bet?"

"Shut up, she's right there!" Fox hissed.

"Uh, can't she read your mind?" Falco asked.

"Not with this." Fox flipped the edge of his vest out and showed a small object to Falco. "It's a mind protector. It blocks any telepaths from using their powers on you." He turned down another hall and walked faster.

Falco followed. "Right... so, seriously, did you..."

"No!" Fox snapped. "I'm gonna call off the bet. Where's Tony?"

"He left early this morning. Said he had some 'business' to attend to."

"I have to contact him somehow. I'll figure it out later." They reached the front of the hidden base.

"So, with that thing he gave you, Krystal won't be able to read your mind?" Falco asked.

"I hope so. If she found out what I've done... She'd never forgive me." Fox said softly. He turned to the cat behind the counter. "Hey, I need you to do a scan of this entire area. Everything. Underground, above ground, within five miles of this base. Got it?"

The cat looked at him with a bored expression. "Yeah, sure."

"This is serious. The base might be in danger, and one of my teammates' lives is in danger!"

"Alright, I heard you." The cat pressed a button on a black device. "The mercenary wants us to do a scan of the area around the base."

A voice came from it. "I need specifics. What area?"

"Everything within five miles."

"Within five miles!?"

"Yes. He said it's really important."

"Contact me if you find anything." Fox said.

"He said to contact him if you find anything."

"I heard. Why, where's he going?"

"None of your business. I'll be back in a couple hours." Fox said.

"He said it's none of your..."

"I can hear! I'm not deaf!" The man on the other side of the comm yelled.

"Yes, sir." The cat pressed the button again and cut the connection.

Krystal walked around the corner, joining them. She was wearing one of Katt's shirts, and some shorts that Falco had seen Katt wear before.

"So, where are we going?" She asked.

Fox blinked. "Uh..." His mind went momentarily blank. "We're... going... um... it's a surprise. C'mon, follow me." He walked to the door. "Hey, can you open it for me?" He called back to the cat.

"Yes..." The cat sighed, sounding bored and uninterested. The door clicked and opened.

Krystal followed Fox out to the arwings. Fox climbed into his, leaving the cockpit open. "Hang on; I'll have Peppy send yours down." He started the engines and switched on the comm system.

"Peppy, here. Fox! I was worried. I received a message yesterday that you had gone into a trap and hadn't come out. You had me worried sick!"

"Sorry, Peppy. I guess it slipped my mind... Listen, can you send down Krystal's arwing? She needs it."

"So, you found her?"

"Peppy, I don't have a lot of time right now. I'll tell you everything that's going on when we get back, okay?" Fox said.

"It'll be there in in a second. Peppy, out."

The transmission ended. A few seconds later, the arwing was sent down from the Great Fox in a ray of light.

"Climb in and follow me." Fox said.

Krystal hurried to her arwing and gracefully leapt into the cockpit. She started her engines as Fox's arwing began to lift from the ground. She followed a few seconds behind him, and the two ships streaked into space...

(**Meanwhile**...)

Kevin hurried down the hallway. His cloaking device wouldn't last long. Neither would the base. The main lights had gone out. Red lights dimly lit the halls. He flattened himself as a long string of soldiers ran by him. He knew exactly what was going on.

The cloaking device began to wear off. He extended his staff and prepared to fight anyone who dared to turn him in.

(**Floating in space, several hundred miles from Titania**)

"This area has the most meteorites in most of Lylat. It also has the most star activity, meaning that stars are destroyed and born every few seconds. You just have to look closely." Fox said.

Krystal stared out at the millions of stars around her. A comet whizzed past her ship. "Wow... it's amazing. But why are you showing me this?"

Fox was silent for a moment. "I used to come here when I got upset. It takes my mind off of everything and relaxes me. I thought you'd like it, too."

"It's... beautiful." Krystal said breathlessly.

"So are you."

"What?"

Fox blushed heavily, grateful that the holograms were off. "Huh? Oh... uh... I didn't say anything..." He said quickly.

Krystal knew he'd said something, but she hadn't been listening. She reached out with her mind. Nothing. She couldn't even sense his presence. She looked at his arwing. She could see his shadow through the glass, but she couldn't sense him. She focused on his arwing. Still nothing. It was as if she were searching for a presence in the middle of an empty space. This was strangely unnerving.

"Fox?"

"Hm...?" He'd been deep in thought, only half listening.

"Are you... hiding something?"

He froze, suddenly alert. "No... why?"

She could hear the change in his voice. "I can't sense you."

"Oh... that's weird." He said.

Krystal thought for a moment. She knew him well enough to know that something wasn't right. "Is something wrong?" She asked.

"No."

The way he said it; rushed, nervous, tense... She knew something was up. She paused, allowing a moment of silence before she spoke. "You're a bad liar."

Fox remained silent. She knew he was hiding something. He silently prayed she wouldn't figure it out. Before he could come up with a reply, his comm system beeped. Someone was trying to contact him. He pressed a button. "Yes?"

"Sir, we've detected a high-powered warp hole. After an extensive search, we've discovered that it matches the frequency of one that appeared below the surface of the ocean on Zoness sometime early yesterday evening."

"That explains a lot. Anything else?"

"Yes. A similar warp gate has appeared on the sands. It's small and not powered by much, but hundreds of soldiers are marching out as we speak. We may have a problem."

"I'll get there as fast as I can. Set up tanks and air fighters. Do not, I repeat, do _not_ attack them from the ground! Tell my teammates to attack from the air. I'll be there shortly. Fox out."

"What's going on?" Krystal asked.

"We're going back to Titania, pronto. Be ready for some action."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Woot! Action! Yeah! (-falls asleep-)

_Katt:_ And that leaves _me_ to do the notes. Next chapter up soon, blah blah blah... You know the routine.


	35. Chapter 35: The Battle

**Chapter 35:**

Two arwings streaked through space, leaving blue plasma trails behind. The planet was in sight. Fox's arwing broke through the atmosphere first. Even from that height, he could see the growing problem below them. They were vastly outnumbered. He flew down closer.

His comm beeped.

"Yes?"

"Fox, we got a problem here. They're between us and the arwings." It was Falco.

"Great. Okay, I'll think of something." Fox scanned over the growing mass. "If me and Krystal can clear a path, think you can make a dash?"

"They're all armed with guns."

"I can shield you." Krystal tuned her comm into their conversation. It was still bugging her that she couldn't sense Fox.

"Great! I'll clear the path. Krystal, you cover them."

"Right!" Krystal pressed the boost on her arwing and passed Fox on her way down. Her eyes grazed over the mass of soldiers. "They're not entirely hostile. They're afraid of us... their base is being flooded. They're just trying to escape." She said.

"Then why are they carrying guns?" Fox asked.

"It's their means of defense. If we shoot them, they'll attack. But they just want to get to their other base."

"Why is their base being flooded?"

Krystal concentrated harder. "The warp gate they opened on Zoness. It's malfunctioning, and they can't close it. Because of the power needed to run it, they can't open another gate to their base. So they opened the short-range gate to escape on foot."

"Hm... why couldn't they just shut off the power to the gate on Zoness?" Fox asked.

"Because the base's power would short circuit, and then all of the lights would go out. It would probably be pretty dark underground in an enclosed area." Krystal replied.

"Oh... So they couldn't just get a bettery operated light and re-start the generator?"

"Why are you asking me? All I know is what I can gather from their thoughts!"

"Sorry!" Fox said, chuckling. "Alright then, you help me think of a plan, since they're supposedly non-hostile."

"Okay! Plan A. Get out. Plan B. Run for your life. Plan C. Fight to the death." Krystal said, as if reciting something she'd known for years.

Fox laughed. "We're not supposed to be joking in a situation like this!" He playfully scolded.

"Hey, it's a good plan!" Krystal said, smiling.

"The base just fired a warning shot. That means... Oh, great." Fox gave an exasperated sigh. "We've got a war on our hands, now. We'll have to take them out."

"What!?" Krystal cringed at the thought of killing all of the soldiers.

"They're gonna overrun the base!"

"Fox! Falco, here. Where are you!? We're being overrun!"

"Hold on! We're almost there. Krystal, get to Falco and Katt. See if you can sheild them from the attacks. I'll blast a path through them."

"Yes, sir!" Krystal said, pressing the boost and swooping down toward the base. Lasers shot past her ship. Hundreds more blasted into the base's sheild.

Fox's comm picked up a signal from the base. "Keep them back from the sheild! It'll only deflect laser shots! Once they get through, they'll tear us to bits!"

"Got it!" Fox flew low, dodging the lasers and blasting any of the troops that dared to get within twenty feet of the sheild.

Krystal used the brakes on her arwing, and sheilded herself, Falco, and Katt.

Fox managed to clear a space of two hundred feet between the soldiers and the base's sheild. "I'll hold them off! Get moving to the arwings!"

Krystal adjusted her sheild and her arwing, with some difficulty, while Katt and Falco followed cautiously with their guns ready.

Fox flew ahead, blasting shot after shot of hig-charged plasma laser into the group of soldiers. He doubled back to clear a line in front of the base, and then rejoined his teammates and cleared the area around them. Over all, he was tense and sweating.

Meanwhile, Slippy helped out with shutting down unneeded power outlets to conserve enough energy for the sheild. "There... we don't need that, do we?" He asked, pointing to the screen.

The head technician was too busy staring at the screen that surveyed the battle. "No..."

Slippy shrugged and flipped the switch.

Several loud crashes and many more screams came from down the hall....

(**Meanwhile...**)

Vivian spun around a second time, smaching her staff against his. "Go down!" She cried.

He effortlessly blocked each of her attacks, and managed to sneak in his own several times. This angered her. With more agression she attacked, but perhaps that was her weakness.

He dodged, sending her stumbling off balance into the portal. She vanished from view. He followed, striking down on her now vulnerable form.

Somehow, she managed to spin her staff and block him. She acted on instinct, blocking four more attacks in the space of one second. He paused for only one second, but that was all she needed. She rolled backward, landing on her feet in a defensive stance.

They remained that way for a few seconds, eyeing each other. Vivian took the offensive, spinning around in a blur and striking at him.

He deflected her blow, as usual, and returned with a strike of his own, which Vivian blocked.

They paid no mind to the soldiers standing around them, staring at them with curious expressions. Thus their battle went on...

(**Meanwhile**)

The path was clear and Falco and Katt fled for their arwings. Krystal was exhaugsted from using her energy, and Fox's arwing was running low on fuel.

The two arwings shot into the air and began raining lasers on the seemingly endless enemy. Krystal joined in, although she was slightly winded.

Fox flew into the base and leapt from his arwing. He quickly refueled, and then he jumped in for another round.

Together, they managed to make a dent in the ever growing mass of soldiers. How anyone had gathered such an army and kept it hidden was beyond their comprehension.

It pained Krystal to lay waste to so many animals... She had to keep reminding herself that it was either her of them. She spotted the portal they were pouring through.

"Guys, I've got an idea." She said, turning toward it.

"We should stop for a coffee break? Awesome! I'm in!" Falco said.

"If we could somehow block their portal, we might have a chance of stopping them." She suggested, ignoring Falco's remark.

"That's great! How do we do that?" Falco asked.

"You guys cover me. I'll put a sheild in front of their protal. They won't be able to make it out."

"Krystal, wait! Shoot a bomb in first, to hold them off." Fox said quickly.

"I'm landing behind the portal. Cover me, okay?" She said, circling to the back of the portal and bringing the arwing down. She cautiously stepped down onto the sand. The soldiers seemed distracted with something several feet away.

Water began to come from the portal. Just a trickle, as if someone had spilled a glass of water. Krystal took a deep breath. Six or seven soldiers ran out of the portal. Then no one.

Krystal seized the opportunity and ran in front of it. She held out her hands and a sheild appeared, blocking the portal. She could feel the pressure of water and soldiers trying to escape, but she held her ground.

Fox circled the area slowly, trying not to draw attention to himself. His heart was racing. One soldier that turned around, and he would lose her. The thought ate through his mind. Sweat dampened his fur. It would take too long to turn the entire arwing toward whatever soldier might target her. But landing two arwings in the same area would draw more attention than he alone could handle. He circled her again, watching her vulnerable form as she held up her sheild.

Krystal's energy began to fade. Slowly, but she could feel herself getting weaker. She panted lightly, and a bead of sweat trickled down her cheek, leaving matted down fur in its wake. The pressure became much stronger. She winced.

The soldiers inside the sheild were struggling to escape. Their panic screamed in her mind. She tried to block it out - but twice she nearly dropped her sheild. One presence faded. Then another.

Without warning, a voice screamed in her head, louder than anything.

"_SISTER!!!_"

(**Several feet away**)

Vivian's strength was fading, as was his.

He struck her staff hard, an unexpected move as he'd merely been blocking and evading her attacks.

Caught off guard, Vivian stumbled backwards.

He took the upper hand, plunging the end of his staff into her leg.

Vivian cried out, clutching the wound. He whacked her in the face, leaving her vulnerable. Then he stabbed her in the stomach.

She grunted, stumbling backwards and falling to the ground. "You... how could you...?" She said weakly.

"You attacked me. You attacked my sister. For that, you die."

"I _am_ your sister." She replied spitefully.

"You were no longer my sister when you murdered my mother."

"She was _my _mother too!" Vivian cried. "And I didn't murder her!"

"Then what do you call stabbing her in cold blood!?"

"I didn't!" As much as she tried to stop them, two tears formed in her eyes. "I didn't know I was still holding the knife..."

"That's your own excuse! You left us all motherless!" He bellowed angrily.

She mumbled something under her breath.

"What?"

"_I HATE YOU!!_" Before he could react, Vivian grabbed her staff and plunged it into his gut. She pulled it free and stabbed him a second time, and then a third. "I did not murder her. I will murder you." She spat.

He grimaced. "My sister... will avenge me..." He said weakly.

"Your sister will die."

"Only... after... she kills you..." He closed his eyes in a grimace as blood trickled from his mouth, and reached out with his mind. _SISTER!!!_

"It's too late. You'll be dead in a moment, _Kevin._" She spat his name like it was poison on her tongue.

He laid back on the sand, growing weaker by the second. Then, he whispered soflty, "She will kill you." And his eyes closed as he breathed his last.

* * *

So, anyone got the plot twist yet? XD

Unfortunately, this story is now on hiatus as I wait anxiously for my computer to fall out of the sky... yeah, right. But there won't be any updates for a while, sorry. Long story, somethin about email and chocolate and a dog... Don't ask.... So, until the next update, I shall torture you with this cliffhanger!

Don't kill me. I'll update as soon as I can. I promise. Until then, so long.


	36. Chapter 36: Flashbacks

**Chapter 36  
**

"_SISTER!!_"

Krystal gasped. Sweat matted her fur. Her mind screamed that something was wrong. Terribly wrong. For a second, she lost her concentration and almost dropped her shield. She fell to her knees, panting. The pressure on her shield grew tremendously. She grimaced, concentrating harder. With a groan of effort, she held her ground.

The portal behind her shield vanished. She dropped the shield and collapsed, panting. The presence behind her tormented her mind. She slowly got to her feet, exhausted from draining her energy. She turned around and gasped. The soldiers were fleeing. When they had moved several yards, she saw him. A figure, lying on the ground. The sand next to him was stained with blood. He wore a black cloak.

She half ran, half stumbled to him. At first, she thought it might be Con. But then she saw his face. "Kevin? Oh, gawd!" She kneeled by him and felt his pulse. It was weak. Very weak. "Kevin!" She cried. Her mind swirled with questions. Why had he been here? She placed her hand on his chest. It was warm, and wet. She drew her palm away, bloody. He'd been stabbed. She felt his pulse again. Weaker. Tears filled her eyes. He wouldn't make it.

She closed her eyes to concentrate, searching his memories before he faded. She would avenge his death.

Images flooded her mind.

Vivian.

A staff.

Both had carried one, similar to hers, but with different colored gems. They fought with skills that rivaled her own. He stabbed her in the leg, and then in her stomach. She leapt up with her staff, stabbing him three times in the chest and abdomen.

Then, words.

"_You're no longer my brother…_"

"_She will kill you…_"

"_Not if I kill her first…_"

"_You killed our mother…_"

"_It was an accident! I didn't know I was still holding the knife…_"

Another image filtered through her mind. It was as if it was her… Then, she realized… it was.

A lost memory, from her past.

A door opened.

She walked out of the house, looking at a young white cat and a blue-furred fox.

"Go inside, honey…" The image vanished. Then, it was there again.

She peered around the corner, watching them.

The girl… it was Vivian.

She looked upset.

A knife was in her hands.

"It's not fair! I hate you!"

She placed her fists against her mother's shoulders.

A look of horror came to her face.

She stepped back, drawing the knife from the wound.

It clattered to the ground with a thump.

Her mother fell to her knees as blood ran from the wound.

"No… Father!!"

Her father ran from behind her, out of the house.

"Vivian? What have you done!?"

The image vanished.

Tears spilled down Krystal's cheeks. Her fingers trembled. Her breath was shaky. The world spun around her. She felt her self falling backward, into a pillow of black that swallowed her whole.

(**Meanwhile**)

Fox circled the arwing again. The soldiers were fleeing with the white cat. Vivian. She had won the fight with the hooded man. Krystal fell down. He gasped. Had she been shot? She got up a few seconds later. He sighed with relief. She went to the wounded form on the ground. He watched her feel his pulse once, then twice.

She didn't move for a few moments. Then she fell backward, landing on the sand. He immediately landed the arwing and scurried over. Her pulse was irregular. She was sweating. Her face was damp with tears and sweat.

Fox glanced at the figure on the ground a few feet away. Dead. He recognized the face… he was Krystal's brother. Kevin. She must've gone into shock. He carefully picked her up into his arms and carried her to his arwing. He laid her down in the shade and climbed in to radio the rest of the team. Several camouflaged brown ships were flying off with the surviving soldiers, from the rocky walls and beneath the sand dunes.

"Guys, follow the rest of them. I'll join you in a bit."

"Where're you going?" Falco asked.

"I found Krystal's brother. Dead." A feminine gasp came over the comm. "Krystal was with him, and she passed out. I'm taking her back to the base. I'll catch up."

"Kevin's dead?" Katt asked.

"I'm afraid so. Vivian killed him."

Several foul words erupted from the comm. "Why, that (_Warning_:_ This content was too mature for the rating, and has been removed_.)"

"Katt!"

"How dare she!! That sorry sneaking little (_censored_)!!"

"Katt! Enough!" Fox snapped. "You can have revenge when we've found their other hideout. Fox out." He switched off the comm and hopped down. He gently scooped Krystal into his strong arms and carefully climbed into the arwing. He flew to the base, landed, and carried her inside.

"Mister McCloud!" One of the base's lieutenants hailed him. "Is she alright?"

"She's had a little too much excitement. We're following the guys out there. Can you tell me when she wakes up? I'll be with the team. Make sure she's okay."

"One second." He said a few words to the cat behind the counter. Several seconds later, two nurses came hurrying down the hall with a hover-mat. Fox tenderly set the vixen on the mat, and then they hurried off.

"Sir? They scouts say they've found something. A flooded underground area, near the other side of the portal. The machine used to create the warp gate was destroyed in the flood. There's no more danger. There are still life forms in the base." The bored sounding orange cat said. He talked so slow it drove Fox mad inside. He was sure if he taped the cat and pressed fast-forward, his voice would just barely be normal.

"Excellent. We'll send out some troops for a rescue mission." He turned to Fox. "I don't know why we didn't think of that earlier. Thank you, Mister McCloud. If you ever need any favors, let us know. We may not be able to recover the employees that were lost, but no more will be missing thanks to you. We'll contact you the moment your teammate wakes up."

"Thank you. I'll be back shortly enough." Fox replied. He turned and left, ignoring the sick feeling in his gut that something was going to go wrong. He climbed into his arwing and shot off after his teammates.

(**Meanwhile…**)

Con swam down, holding his breath. In her hurry to leave, Vivian had dropped the blue stone. He closed his fingers around it and returned to the surface, gasping. He reached up and grabbed a pipe-like object on the ceiling, about two feet above him.

Immediately, he knew he'd made a mistake. Electric currents shot through his body. He screamed in pain. With every burning muscle in his body, he struggled to let go of the wire. Blue light lit up the dark passage, and he knew he was going to die. With every breath, he screamed. "God, _please_!!"

Pain coursed through his body in waves. Suddenly, it stopped. He dropped into the water, barely able to gasp before he fell below the surface. Every muscle in his body went numb. He held his breath as he tried to fight unconsciousness.

An object drifted in the water above him. A door. He summoned his strength and kicked for it, still clutching the blue stone. He rolled onto it, panting and grimacing. He had to stay alive. He was Krystal's last hope. Then, the darkness began to grip him. A bright light appeared several feet down the passage.

"Hey, there's one! He's alive! Get him, hurry!"

This confused him. There was no one else in front of him. A form appeared, blocking the blinding light for a few seconds. There must've been someone behind him. The darkness came faster, closing in on him. They couldn't see him… could they? He was still like a ghost, unable to be seen or heard, was he not?

"He's drifting down the tunnel. Faster!"

The voice was a mere echo in the back of his mind. The darkness swallowed his mind and sight as he tumbled into the depths of unconsciousness.

(**Meanwhile**)

Cindy hurried into the room. A blue vixen lay unconscious on the bed.

"Oh, good, you're here." A tiger named Mary said. "I can't find anything wrong with her. She seems just fine. But that's the problem. By her outward appearance, she's not fine at all. She's sweating like crazy, and she's not breathing right."

"I'll see what I can do. You ran all the scans, correct?" Cindy asked.

"Yes. They all said she was normal. Her pulse is a bit fast, but other than that…"

"Hm… It seems she's in some sort of shock." The raccoon didn't want to confuse the younger nurse with the many names that ran through her brain. That would only waste time. She stepped to the side of the bed and looked at the monitor beside it. "Yes, her pulse is quite fast. Is there any information about why she's in this state?"

"No… The mercenary only said she'd had too much excitement." Mary replied.

"Humph." Cindy put on her gloves. "Well…" The machine's beeping suddenly stopped. A long drone sounded instead. "What…?" Then the beeping started again, double paced. She looked down at the patient.

The vixen's eyes opened, looking about wildly. She screamed.

"Shhhh! It's okay!" Cindy tried to comfort her. She stepped back in fright. The vixen's entire body glowed with a radiant blue light.

"_NOOOOOOO!!_" A wave of light emitted from her, crashing into the two nurses and throwing them against the walls.

Cindy collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Mary fell down, but she was still awake. She was terrified. Another blue wave hit the walls, throwing objects to the ground and shattering the monitor. A third wave shook the room and caused dents in the wall. All the while, the patient was screaming like she was being murdered. Tears streamed down Mary's face. She covered her head with her hands and curled up on the floor. Several objects crashed, and she could hear the waves crashing against the wall.

She lay trembling several minutes after it had stopped.

The door opened. "Good gawd! What happened in here!?" A male voice asked.

Mary looked up, still trembling. Tears trailed down her cheeks, leaving matted fur in their wake. She sobbed.

"Come on…" The man knelt down and helped the terrified girl up, and escorted her out of the room and into a chair. "Hey, you!" He called to the nearest person. "There's a woman in there, unconscious on the ground. Make sure she's alive and bring her out here, will you?" He turned to Mary. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, unable to speak.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"It was horrible!" She sobbed. "She was screaming… and then this light… it was blue… it came out of nowhere! It hit me and I fell… and Cindy was thrown on the wall! I think she's dead! All these things were falling… and the light was horrible! It kept hitting the walls… and she was screaming… it was awful! I thought I was gonna die!" She sobbed.

"You say blue light came out of nowhere?"

"It… appeared around her. Then it just hit us!" Mary continued sobbing.

"You'll be alright." He stood up and turned to the man who'd carried out the raccoon. "Put her in an empty room. She seems to be alive; we need to check if she's injured or not." He walked into the thrashed room. The blue vixen was sleeping soundly. She looked completely normal, but something was off.

It was silent. The monitor was broken on the ground. He stepped forward and felt her pulse. It was normal. Odd…

He looked at the dents in the wall. They were perfectly leveled with her body. Everything above that was thrashed. The light above flickered on and off. But everything below, not counting broken objects that had come off the wall, was fine. He stared at this creature in wonder. What had caused this? Was it her? He contemplated this for several moments.

Her eyes opened, and she gasped. Her hands shook. Her body glowed. "Mother… no…" She screamed.

He ducked, not a second too soon. Blue light crashed into the walls. "Enough!" He yelled. "Stop it!"

Five more waves struck the wall. Then it was over. He stood up cautiously, staring at her in wonder. What in Lylat could make her do this?

(**Meanwhile…**)

Katt sat seething in her arwing. She swore revenge on that white cat. As much as she racked her mind, a worthy punishment eluded her.

Fox stared out at the stars, his mind wandering. Something was wrong. He could feel it in his gut. The realization that he shouldn't have left Krystal tortured him. When he closed his eyes, he could see her… she was screaming in pain. It had only been five minutes. But those five minutes had passed slower and slower.

"Fox!" Falco's voice broke through his daze, startling him.

"Wha… what?"

"Jeez, you deaf or somethin'? I've been screaming your name for almost a minute! They could've blown up your arwing and you wouldn't have noticed. You okay?"

"Yeah…" He looked down.

"Something wrong?"

"No."

"I know you better than that. What's up?" Falco asked. He switched the comm to private.

"Nothing."

"Fox, if you don't tell me, I'm gonna nag you all day and all night. And you know I will."

"It's… just a weird feeling. Like something's wrong."

"Never defy the gut feeling man."

"Every time I close my eyes, I see her… she's in pain. She's screaming." Fox said.

"Krystal?"

Fox sighed. "It's probably nothing."

"Gut feelings don't lie. Not very often. And not about something that serious. I'll cover for you if you wanna head back." Falco suggested.

"You kidding? I can't leave. What if I'm wrong?"

"If you're wrong, oh well. But what if you're right?" Falco asked. "What if you're right and something really bad happens? Maybe that cat chick went back and kidnapped her again. What if she's killing her?"

"Falco!" Fox snapped. "You're not helping!"

"I'm just saying…"

"Stop it. I'm not going back." Fox switched off his comm. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"_NOOOOOOO!!!_" Her face twisted into a grimace.

He gasped, looking up. His fingers trembled on the controls. He kept reminding himself not to close his eyes except to blink. The feeling worsened. He felt like he was going to be sick. Lasers shot past his windshield. His concentration was scattered; he could hardly focus. He looked about, darting to the side. The enemies' ships were attacking.

A laser struck his left wing. He barrel rolled a second too late. Keeping his eyes open in a barrel roll was a bad idea. He felt worse. His vision blurred. He struggled to fight against his mind, instead concentrating on the enemy. His comm beeped.

He groaned. The timing couldn't have been worse. He opened the channel.

"Fox, get your butt out of there! There's too many of them!" Falco screamed. "And don't you ever shut off your system during a battle! Are you insane!?"

Fox pulled his ship around and boosted away. He winced for a second.

There she was again. "_FFFFOOOOOOOOOOXXX!!_"

He cried out, opening his eyes.

"Fox! You hit? What happened?" Falco demanded.

"I-I can't take it… I have to go back… I can't even concentrate! Keep following them. Contact me the second they land. Don't get too close. Fox out." He switched off his comm with a sweaty palm and trembling fingers.

As he neared the planet, the feeling subsided a great deal. But it was still there. He landed outside the base. It wasn't the best landing, but he hadn't damaged anything. He walked into the base.

The cat at the front desk looked stressed and frightened.

"Can… where is she… is she oka-…" A loud scream echoed down the hall. He knew that scream. Without waiting for an answer, he ran down the hall. Loud crashes directed him. She kept screaming. He found the room.

A disheveled weasel stumbled out of the room.

"Krystal!" Fox lunged for the door.

"No, don't! She'll kill you!" The weasel cried.

Fox stopped short, eyes wide. "What's going on?"

"She's been doing this off and on for thirty minutes. Screaming… and that strange light… It destroys everything! Two people are wounded. Let's not make it three." He said.

The screaming stopped. Fox hurried into the room. She lay unconscious on the hospital bed, normal except for the sweat that dampened her fur. He stepped close to her. "Krystal…" He touched her face. She didn't respond at all. Her pulse was regular, as was her breathing. He stroked her arm, and tenderly touched her hand. Her fingers were cold.

He took her hand in his. "Krystal, wake up." He said softly.

Her eyes opened wide. A terrified look came to her face.

"Krystal!" He grabbed her shoulders. "Krystal, stop it! It's me!" Her body glowed with the blue energy. "Krystal! It's okay! It's me!"

"No…" The look in her eyes was of terror. She gasped, breathing heavily. He pulled her against him.

"Krystal. It's okay." He said firmly. He could feel her trembling.

She took a shaky breath. The glow stopped. Her arms slipped around his back. "Fox…" She whispered.

"Sh… It's okay…" He murmured gently.

"Sh-she ki… Sh-she killed… my mother…" Krystal's body shook with sobs.

"Are you alright?" He asked, letting her go. She fell back on the bed, and nodded slowly.

"Thank you…"

Fox glanced at her lips. He leaned in close, until their lips were but an inch apart.

"Is everything okay?"

He leaned back and turned around. The weasel stood in the doorway. "Yeah… She's fine now." Fox replied.

"Do either of you have any explanation for what that was?" He asked.

"What?"

"The blue light?"

Fox exchanged glances with Krystal. "No, sir. It's never happened before." He lied.

"If it's alright with you, we'd like to run some tests…"

"I'm afraid we don't have time. My teammates need me, and without our newest member, we're considerably weaker. We'll have to leave now, I'm sorry." Fox looked at Krystal. "Think you can make it?" He whispered.

She nodded, sitting up. They walked out of the base, leaving a puzzled doctor.

"Alright. Tell me exactly what happened to you." Fox said a few minutes later as they flew out of the atmosphere.

"I… don't know, really. It was all a blur. Kevin was dying, so I tried to search his memories to find out what happened before he was gone. Vivian killed him. But… there was more. I found a hidden memory in his mind. Someone took it from me, I think. I was standing on Cerinia… and Vivian was there. She had a knife. She was arguing with my mother. And then… She stabbed her…" Tears burred her vision. "But… the look on her face… she didn't mean to. She forgot… that she was holding the knife."

"Why would she be holding the knife?" Fox asked.

"I don't know. I don't remember." Krystal fought back more tears.

"Look, I can see that you're in no shape to be fighting. Why don't you stop by the Great Fox and fill them in. Peppy still doesn't know what's going on. He's gonna be worried sick."

"Alright. Thank you…" Krystal turned toward the ship, while Fox headed back toward the rest of the team.

She docked her arwing and walked onto the bridge. Peppy was asleep. Rob was shut down, leaning against the wall. She couldn't help but note that she could've been a robber and they wouldn't have noticed.

She became aware of another presence, in the hall. She gasped, crossing the bridge and opening the door.

The sight that met her eyes nearly made her heart stop.

"It's you!"

__

**Author's Notes:** WOW it's been a long time… I can't promise I'll never be away this long again, but I can promise that this story will see an end. Although how long from now that may be I have no way of knowing. No hard feelings, right? (-Hit in the face with tomatoes-) Alright! I'm sorry! It won't happen again soon!

Titles are beginning to get extremely annoying in the sense that it takes me forever to come up with one, and even then it doesn't quite seem to fit. The last chapter had no title because I types it up in the space of ten minutes and just didn't have time. I wanted to get one chapter up before I left. So, no more chapter titles. Actually, I will put one on after the chapter it posted if anyone has a good idea. So let me know.

And again, sorry about the hiatus thing. (-Hit in head with flying hammer-) x.x


	37. Chapter 37: Sisters

**Chapter 37**

"It's you!" Krystal gasped.

The white cat lay on the floor, bleeding heavily. She looked up in alarm; obviously she wasn't expecting to be found. A look of fear came to her eyes. For several seconds, neither of them moved. She attempted to stand, but wound up on the floor again with a grunt. "I'm… sorry…" She muttered. Blood poured from a wound on her leg, and more blood came from a wound on her waist.

Krystal stood frozen to the spot, unsure of what to do.

(**Meanwhile…**)

"Six o'clock! Look out!" Katt cried, barrel rolling. Falco dove just in time to avoid a laser.

"Thanks. I owe you one." He said, circling around and blasting one of the ships. They'd found the base, but in the mean time, they'd gotten too close. Even though they fled, they'd been chased and ambushed.

"These guys sure are mean!" Slippy commented. "No mercy!" He blasted down another one.

"I'm being followed!" Katt said. "This guy's not letting up. I need help!" She flipped upside down, hoping to end up behind her follower and shoot him. He executed the same move. Her ship shook as it took damage. She tried every move she could.

"These guys are no amateurs. Hold on, I'm coming." Falco said as he tried to outmaneuver the ship that trailed him.

Katt groaned, boosting and then doing a u-turn. The ship behind her did the same. "Jeez! Let up, will you!" She cried. The ship suddenly blew up. An arwing zoomed past the explosion. "Thanks, Falco."

"Uh, that wasn't me…" He said guiltily.

"Need some help?" A familiar voice asked.

"Fox! About time you got here!" Katt scolded playfully.

"Woot! We got 'em now!" Slippy shouted, shooting down another ship.

"Let's get 'em!" Fox shouted as he boosted into the center of battle.

(**In the meantime…**)

Connor slowly opened his eyes. He blinked. When did he get here? He was in a white room. A steady beep emitted from a monitor next to him. He wet his dry lips with his tongue. He took a deep breath and sat up. He was wearing a hospital gown. "The hell…?" He jerked the IV out of his arm with a wince. His clothes lay folded in a pile on a chair. He picked them up and quickly changed. He had to get out of here and figure out what was going on.

He pulled the black item over his head and straightened it. Then he pulled up the hood and walked out of the room, feeling more and more like the grim reaper in the dark cloak. Two nurses gave him a startled look. He managed to find his way through the maze of halls and stopped at a desk in the front.

"Where am I?" He asked.

An orange cat looked up, giving him a bored look.

"Answer me!"

"Titania…" The cat answered slowly, sounding suspicious.

Connor blinked. He hadn't really expected the cat to _see_ him, let alone to actually answer him. "You can see me?"

The cat gave him a surprised look. "Yes…"

"And you can hear me?"

"Well, I'm not deaf, am I." He retorted.

"Sorry…" Connor opened the door.

"Hey, come back! You're not allowed out…" The door closed behind him, cutting off the cat's protest.

First things first. He needed a ship. Since other people could see and hear him, he would have to be more cautious. The thought suddenly struck him. He'd been holding the rock when he grabbed the wire. The rock had brought him fully back. The rock. But where was it now? The passage. The base. He ran across the hot sand. A vehicle of some sorts hovered near a hole. He must've dropped the stone when he blacked out.

He snuck up to the hole, looking about for anyone who might see him. The cloak would get in his way. He took it off and set it on the ground. Then he dove into the hole. The fall was longer than he expected by several feet. He hit the water in a dive and put his hands in front of him as he struck the ground. He opened his eyes and looked forward.

A shiny blue object lay on the ground several feet from him. He kicked for it and grasped it. Then he turned around and resurfaced. He sprang from the water and grabbed a rope that someone had left there. Voices drifted to his ears from down the flooded hall. He pulled himself up the rope and onto the sand. Then he grabbed his cloak and scurried across the desert.

A sharp pain struck his abdomen. He stumbled to his knees, clutching the wound on his stomach. He lifted his cloak. Blood had seeped through the bandage and had stained his shirt. He ignored the pain and climbed to his feet again, this time only walking.

He reached the edge of the valley, and searched the rocks. Sure enough, he found a ship that the soldiers had left behind. He knew there was more than one, but one was all he needed. He climbed in, started the engine, and flew away, carefully planning his next move. Now that he could be seen and heard, his small advantage was gone. But he was sure that his powers had been increased.

Even if he couldn't stop some things from happening, he could still help Krystal. His mission was to protect her with his life.

And he wasn't about to fail.

(**Over the oceans of Zoness**)

Fox rolled again. His vision only helped as far as he could see, and with pouring rain and thick fog, that wasn't very much. Lasers came from out of nowhere. He was afraid to shoot, lest he take down one of his own teammates. Radar only helped on ground level. There was no way to tell whether or not they were the same height from the ground.

Slippy was doing his best to keep the enemies from jamming their radar by keeping them busy with several viruses. But his attention was drawn half by the battle. He dodged several bouts of lasers, and then he sent another virus out. He was running out of ideas. This battle was getting worse. But more forces were coming by the minute, blocking their escape.

"Ah, we can't take them!" Falco cried in despair. It wasn't often he admitted defeat, but even he could tell this battle was pointless. "Fox, we gotta get outta here. All we're doing is wasting fuel. We know where they are now. But dying here isn't gonna get us anything."

"We'll wait for a break in the sky forces, and then…"

"Fox, this is insane." The feline piped in. "More forces are coming in by the second. We're outnumbered a hundred to one. We've got to get out before we're completely trapped." Katt sighed. "This is hopeless unless we leave now."

Fox was silent for a moment. He sighed. "Alright. We'll head one mile east and then shoot for the sky. Blast the ones in your way and leave the rest." He turned around and checked his radar for direction. Then he pressed the boost and maneuvered between the ships that appeared through the clouds. When he felt it had been close to one mile, he pulled up and headed through the atmosphere.

Three arwings followed suit. They'd cleared the enemy by half a mile.

"Phew! That was tense, but it's nice to get some excitement." Falco said.

"Bah! I've had more than enough excitement for one lifetime." Slippy retorted.

"Yeah, Slippy's right. Enough's enough." Fox answered.

"There were so many tight spots in that group I couldn't count them if I tried." Katt spoke. They drifted through space silently, simply catching their breath and pondering over what to do next.

"How much do you think we're getting paid?" Falco asked. A chorus of groans came over his comm.

"Falco, is that all you ever think about?" Katt asked.

"No…"

"Sure seems like it." She teased.

"Following them was our idea. I doubt we'll get paid for that. But the Titania base is supporting the fee for ridding them of Vivian's army." Fox replied. "It won't be a whole lot, but we're still getting paid." Silence returned to the group.

"Hey, Fox… I think they put a virus in our system." Slippy said.

"Huh?"

"My computer's acting all weird… It's probably not much, just thought I'd let you know in case yours acts up too." He was already on his way to fixing it.

"Thanks, Slip. I'll tell you if there's anything wrong." Fox said. Again silence overtook the comm.

A laser shot past Fox's window, startling him. A new voice emitted from the speaker. "Hey, Fox. And what do you think you're doing crossing my path?"

Fox rolled his eyes. Nothing like Wolf O'Donnell to ruin a nice thought. "Just crossing, nothing else. We don't want trouble."

"Heh, come on, Fox. You scared?" Leon's scratchy voice retorted.

Falco smirked, turning his arwing upside down and flying directly over Leon's ship. "Greetings!" He said cheerfully, flipping him off.

Fox saw this and chuckled. "Watch out for the bird…" He said.

Panther flew over Katt's ship. "Ah, a lovely flower. How can I dare to fight her, for fear of spoiling her beauty?"

Katt fired, striking his ship. "Watch out. This flower has thorns." She threatened.

"Ah, a rose, then! And how lovely she is, with soft pink petals." Panther purred.

"Roses have thorns, you blithering idiot. And thorns are sharp. You may admire the rose from afar, but don't get close. She bites." Katt snapped, firing another laser into his wing.

He chuckled. "But that cannot stop me from loving her, can it?"

This time Falco shot his ship. "Hey! Watch it, will ya! That's _my_ rose you're talking about."

"What do you think of a duel, to find who is worthy of the rose?" Panther asked.

"You're on, d- head." Falco retorted. "Hey, Fox! How many times do we have to beat this guy before he realizes he can't win?"

Fox chuckled. "Once more, I guess."

"Do you really think you will win this time?" Leon asked.

"Nope. I _know_." Falco smirked.

"Well then, we fight." Wolf said. Immediately he began firing upon Fox's arwing.

The mercenary easily barrel rolled and did a somersault, ending up behind Wolf's ship. Grinning, he rapidly sent several streams of lasers into the wolfen's hull. "Ha! Take that."

Wolf cried out, trying to outmaneuver Fox.

Panther and Falco were going at it, fighting like true pilots.

Meanwhile, Katt and Slippy ganged up on Leon.

"So, how long should this fight last? To the death?" Fox asked.

"Whoever has low shield energy leaves the fight." Wolf replied.

"I believe you're out, Leon." Katt smirked, firing one last laser.

The chameleon muttered some quiet insults, and reluctantly left the fight. Slippy noted that he was low on fuel, and he shut down his engine to wait on the sidelines. Katt joined him. Her ship had taken a beating in the earlier battle, and she didn't want to risk taking another foul blow.

Wolf was out soon enough, having found that once Fox was trailing him it was near impossible to outmaneuver him. "We'll meet again. Next time I'll take you down."

"I wouldn't be… so sure!" Falco said while dodging an array of lasers from Panther. He did a u-turn and rushed the black feline straight on, firing a charged shot and several more lasers. Panther rushed as well, and the ships passed each other with inches to spare.

Panther locked on to Falco's ship, having turned around quicker than the avian expected. His shields were getting low.

At the last possible second, a laser came through the space and struck Panther's ship. His shields switched to low, resetting his lock system.

"Take that, you overgrown kitten!" Katt taunted. She'd been the one to fire the shot.

"Ah, so the rose strikes with vengeance. I have been beaten fairly." With a battered ship and a dented ego, Panther rejoined his team.

Falco said nothing. He was too upset that he'd nearly been beaten, and that he hadn't been the one to defeat Panther.

"Well, Fox. It seems you've rightly earned your place. We'll meet again." Wolf and his friends shot into hyperspace, leaving the Star Fox team in peace.

(**On the Great Fox, Thirty Minutes Ago**)

Vivian ran on with her army, limping. She tried to ignore the pain, but it was proving too much. Blood poured from her wounds. She stumbled and fell. Surely the fleeing men would trample her! She reached for the device on her belt and looked up into the sky. She knew the ship was there. It had to be. She pressed the button.

Everything blurred for a moment, and then the surrounding details came into focus. Gray. Metal walls. She was there. She sighed in relief, and winced at the pain. She had to find Krystal. Somehow, she had to survive. She pulled herself to her feet, stifling a groan of agony.

The white feline panted lightly as she limped down the hall. Her mind swirled with options. _I should set a trap for her… but I need her help… why should I ask help from her… why would she help me? Here I am, her enemy, dying… She could just kill me and not have to put up with anything…_ She dragged herself another agonizing step. There were doors on either side of the hall. Which one was Krystal's?

She limped another few inches. The pain proved too much, and she found herself on the ground, hands smarting and leg throbbing. She gasped at the pain, face twisting into a grimace. Her fingers shook as she tried to push herself up. Pain shot through her stomach. She gasped again, and nearly choked. A fit of coughing overtook her. Blood splattered on the ground and stained the white fur around her mouth.

She knew she would die if she didn't find help soon. Perhaps they weren't back yet… She relaxed her tired muscles the best she could, lying on the cold metal floor. She closed her eyes, resting her head on her arms. She hardly had the strength to cough when more blood came up her throat. Two silent tears dampened her cheeks. She lay there for several minutes, not possessing the will to move.

A gasp startled her. "It's you!"

Vivian jerked her head up, staring at the blue vixen. A tinge of hatred entered her heart. For a moment, neither of them moved. They stared at each other in horror. She tried to push herself to her feet, but ended up on the ground again. "I'm… sorry…" She muttered.

Krystal stood motionless for several seconds, at a loss. "You… what… how did you get here!?" She asked.

"I… teleported…" Vivian managed to say. "I have a device… that can teleport… I need… your help…"

"And why in the world would I help you? You've brought me nothing but pain. You killed my brother. The only family I had left. What, have you come to finish me off?" Krystal snapped.

"No… I just need your help… please…" Vivian pleaded.

"With what? Why don't you just teleport yourself back to your base and have your own people help you. You shouldn't need me." Krystal said.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" Vivian put her head down. "Please, have mercy… I'm dying."

"Since when did you have mercy on me? I don't have any reason to pity you or to help you." Krystal nearly startled herself with the harshness in her words.

"Please… I'm begging you… I'll make them stop. I won't try to kill you… please… help me…" Vivian cried.

"How do I know you won't betray me the moment I turn my back?" Krystal asked.

"I won't… I promise… Please, trust me… I just need you to help me survive."

"Trust _you_!? Why in the world would I trust _you_!?" Krystal said angrily.

"Because…" Vivian said. She grimaced in pain. More blood flowed from her mouth.

"Well…?" Krystal prompted.

Vivian looked down, tears forming in her eyes. She took a deep breath and looked at Krystal in her eyes. "I'm your sister."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Okay, I'm sorry about the wait... But there's not much you can do when your main bad guy is a telepath who likes to erase your good ideas and put the location of things that were never meant to be found by parents into the parents' heads except erase the bad guy, but that wouldn't make for a very interesting plot, now, would it? ANYWAY hope you like this chapter, next one will hopefully be up a lot sooner.


	38. Chapter 38: Confession

**Chapter 38**

"I'm your sister."

Krystal blinked. This could not be possible. Vivian had to be lying. But she could sense that Vivian was indeed telling the truth. "W-what?"

"I'm your sister…" Vivian winced, lowering her head.

Krystal sighed. Her feminine instincts took over, and she knew she couldn't allow Vivian to die, no matter how evil she was. "I'll be right back." She walked onto the bridge. Peppy was still asleep. So was Rob. She entered the medical room. Her mind was scattered, and she couldn't think. She readied the hospital bed so that there would be room. Then she took out some bandages and towels, and set them near the bed.

She went back into the hall. Vivian was lying there in a pool of blood. "Come on. I'll help you, but you have to stand." Krystal knelt and helped the cat to her feet. Together they made it to the medical room, and Krystal helped her onto the bed.

It was nearly an hour before Krystal had cleaned up her wounds and bandaged them.

"Thank you…" Vivian said. Krystal nodded.

A scream echoed around the Great Fox.

"Oh, no! I'll be back." Krystal ran out onto the bridge.

Katt came stumbling out of the hallway, face white beneath her pink fur. "Katt! What's wrong?"

"There's blood all over the floor! And the walls!" The feline cried in despair.

Fox and Falco came running in from the docking bay. "What! What's wrong?" Fox asked.

"Jeez, you two are gonna give me a heart attack!" Peppy scolded, having been woken up.

Slippy came running in after Falco. "What's up?"

"There's… blood… all over the hallway…" Katt said weakly.

"It's alright… I haven't gotten a chance to clean it up. I'm sorry."

"What happened?" Fox asked.

Krystal opened her mouth, but no words escaped. She shook her head. "Someone needed our help. She's wounded pretty bad. I've been tending to her, but I haven't gotten around to cleaning up the mess."

"Who?" Fox asked.

"That's not important. Just help me clean it up." Krystal replied.

They took mops and sponges and cleaned off the blood on the floor and the walls.

It took nearly an hour, and everyone was tired.

They all crowded to the bridge and sat down.

Krystal gasped. "Vivian!" She stood up. Fox was up first and stopped her.

"Vivian? You're helping Vivian!? She tried to kill you! You can't help her!"

"I… I have to."

"No, you don't! You don't help your enemies. Not when they're out to kill you."

"But, Fox, you don't understand." Krystal began.

"You can't help her. How do you know she won't kill you the moment you turn your back?" He asked.

"Fox… she's… my sister." Krystal said.

He paused. "Your… sister? Did she tell you that?"

Krystal nodded.

"You can't trust her. How do you know she didn't say that just so you would help her?"

"I'm telepathic. I know she wasn't lying." Krystal turned to go.

Fox reached out and touched her arm. "I… just… don't want to see you get hurt." He said softly.

She nodded, and walked to the medical room.

"Her… sister?" Katt's face twisted in disgust. "Uhg! How awful! Poor Krystal… They're not the same at all… Maybe she was adopted."

"Wow… this keeps getting weirder." Falco commented. "So, the chick who's been out to kill Krystal, is in fact, her own sister? Who would kill their own sister?"

"She killed her brother. I wouldn't put it under her to kill Krystal too." Katt replied. She scoffed. "Why'd she have to be related? I'd have killed her myself… but, Krystal's sister?" She sighed.

"There's nothing we can do." Fox said. "If Krystal wants to help her, then we'll have to trust her." He turned to Peppy. "Our business here is done. Set course for Corneria. Then contact General Pepper so we can get paid."

Peppy nodded. "Sure, Fox." He turned and punched in the controls, wondering to himself how Vivian _and_ Krystal had gotten onto the ship without him knowing.

Krystal entered the medical room. Vivian sat on the bed, staring downwards. She glanced up when her sister had entered.

"Your team doesn't want me here. I don't blame them. I'll leave as soon as we reach Corneria."

"Why… why do you hate me?" Krystal asked.

Tears came to Vivian's eyes. "When mom got pregnant with you… I was eight. The council said that the oldest child had to go, because mom wasn't allowed to have more that two children. That was me… mom didn't want to kill me, so I was sent to live with our grandmother. But… she was old, and crazy! All I wanted was to be with my own mother. You were in the way. And then… when I was fourteen, I was cutting vegetables. I couldn't take it anymore! I went to talk to mom. I'd heard that Kevin had left. I wanted so much to be with her…" She trailed off. More tears ran down her cheeks. "I was so upset… I didn't know… It was an accident… I yelled at her… I said that I hated her! But… I didn't realize… I was… still holding the knife… I didn't mean to kill her." She held back sobs. When she looked up at Krystal, her eyes were filled with tears as well. "The last thing I said to her… was 'I hate you.'"

Tears streamed down Krystal's cheeks. So now the truth was revealed. Her sister, who'd been sent away because of her own birth, had come back to ask for help. In her frustration, she'd forgotten the knife. And because of the pain that haunted her, she had blamed it on her sister. Now she finally understood. She knew that she would never know the pain that Vivian had gone through, but for a moment, she could feel a small fraction of that feeling.

"I'm sorry…" Vivian said softly.

"I am too." Krystal embraced her sister. As much as she tried, Vivian could not hold back the sobs that shook her shoulders.

"I'm so sorry…" She repeated.

Krystal released her. "I know the team has mixed feelings about you being here, but I'll gladly offer you hospitality."

"No. I don't want to cause you any more trouble than I already have. As soon as we reach Corneria, I'll be out of your hair." Vivian said.

Krystal nodded. "Alright. I understand. If there's anything you need, let me know." She left the room.

"Entering hyperspace…" Peppy called. The black sky and white stars blended together. The ship made no sudden jerks.

"Wow… so that's the new hyperspace?" Krystal walked to the center of the bridge.

"Yep." Peppy replied.

She took a deep breath.

Fox walked up and stood next to her. "So, how long is she staying?"

Krystal nearly jumped. She hadn't sensed him. "Just… until we reach Corneria…" She replied, eying him suspiciously. Everyone else, including Vivian, was in range of her telepathy.

But Fox, who stood within two feet of her, somehow evaded her ability.

"I… still can't sense you." She said softly.

He stared at her. "I'm sorry…"

What was hidden in those green eyes? What could make it so that she couldn't sense him, although he was right there?

She knew by the look in his eyes that he was keeping something from her. But what? They stood there, gazing into each other's eyes for nearly a full minute. Neither of them could read the other's mind, but they could see into each other's heart. What Krystal saw in Fox's heart was regret. But why? What had he done recently to cause him regret? She felt helpless, standing there, unable to sense him let alone read his mind.

"We're here." Peppy announced.

They turned away from each other.

"Great. Well, let's talk to the General. Hopefully we'll be paid for more than just checking out a problem." Fox said.

Slippy set up the comm and dialed the General's frequency. A hologram appeared in the center of the room.

"General Pepper here! Good work, Star Fox. The lieutenant from the base on Titania told me what happened. He was glad to pay a generous amount. You should be well off for some time." He said.

"Woohoohoo!" Slippy cried, startling everyone.

"The lieutenant has already given me the money. I will forward it to your account immediately." The General said.

"Thank you, General. Are there any new missions we should be aware of?" Fox asked.

"Not at the moment, no. I will contact you the moment I have any news. Also, the same rooms as before at the Corneria Inn are reserved for you and your team."

"Thank you, General. That's all." Fox said.

"Pepper, out!" The hologram vanished.

Fox glanced out the window. Peppy had already docked the ship. "Well, that's that."

A white cat appeared at the edge of his vision. He turned to face Vivian. She didn't make eye contact.

"I'm sorry for any inconvenience I've caused you. I'll be leaving, now that we're at Corneria. Thank you for your hospitality." She walked toward the docking bay and exited. No one spoke. No one moved. Then, she was gone.

Falco took a deep breath. "Don't look now, but your accent's showing…" He said, referring to her slight Cerinian accent.

"It's free time for us, now." Fox said. "So… I guess we'll just head to the hotel?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Falco said.

They left the Great Fox and went to the hotel via taxi.

No sooner had Krystal plopped on her bed to relax, someone knocked on the door.

She opened it, sensing Tony on the other side.

"Krystal… I, uh…" He looked rather shocked at her appearance. She was still dirty from Titania. "I was wondering what you were doing tonight. I'm sorry I had to leave so suddenly, but I had a call from work. Short notice. I called the base, but they said you'd left. You're a hard girl to track down." He said.

She smiled. "I'm free tonight, but I haven't had a chance to relax at in two days. I'm awfully tired."

"Oh. I understand. Why don't you relax, and I'll come back around eight. If you're feeling better, we'll do something. Otherwise, I'll leave you alone. That okay?" He suggested.

Krystal pondered for a moment. "Alright. I'll see you at eight."

He smiled, and then he turned and left. She closed the door, feeling more tired than before.

She showered and dressed in sweat shorts and a comfy tank top, and then she lay on her bed to relax, feeling clean and refreshed. After only a few moments, she had drifted off.

(**One Hour Earlier****…**)

Con paced back and forth. He glanced at the screen every few moments, wondering why it was taking so long. Finally, movement. He raced to the laptop, staring intensely at the camera's view. He recognized his brother, walking down the hall. He turned into a room. Con clicked a few buttons, and the camera in the room showed him the view.

Vivian sat in a chair, seemingly waiting for him.

He turned up the sound.

"I'm not doing this anymore. I'm shutting it down."

"What?! You were the one who started this whole thing, Vivian. I shouldn't have to remind you that once Cerinia is saved, we die."

"She's my sister."

"That never stopped you before."

"It wasn't her fault. It was my fault the whole time. _My_ plan to be part of a family was ruined. It was _my_ plan. Now _I'm_ destroying it."

Con's brother paced, hands on his temples. "I'm not going to die because of your stupidity. I may not have it in me to kill her, but I can still make her stop. I can make her wish she was never born."

"No! You'll leave her alone!" Vivian snapped. "She's my sister! Not yours! You have no reason to hate her. Leave her out of…"

"I'm not going to let her kill me!" He blew up, advancing on her in a threatening way. "You'll stay out of my business!" He grabbed her by the throat and shoved her against the wall. "Either Cerinia dies, or we die. Cerinia is already dead. If she brings it back, you and I both will be trapped for eternity in that awful place. You've already seen what it's like. I'm not going to risk that."

Vivian squirmed, choking. He released her, and she crumpled to the ground, gasping and coughing. "If we fail, the punishment will be worse… You know that as well." She said weakly.

"You little whore! I'm not going to die before my time!" He screamed. He stormed out of the room and into the hall, a murderous look in his eyes.

"If you kill her, you will serve the same fate… because we will have failed either way." Vivian called after him. He paused, considering her words, and then he left.

Con gasped. If anything happened to her, they would all be sent into the other realm. He knew the look in his brother's eyes. Perhaps he wouldn't murder her, but something very bad was going to happen. That much he knew for sure. He shut off the laptop and hurried away, searching for the one person he knew would help.

(**Corneria Inn, Two Hours Later, **[**One hour after they arrived**])

Fox sat on the couch, tired but unable to sleep. He felt sick. Everything was wrong. It couldn't get much worse, could it? He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to that question.

Hours may have passed, he didn't know. Nor did he care. His world was a glass plate toppling on the edge of a counter, with tile floor looming below.

Any second it would fall and shatter.

She suspected him of something. He knew he wouldn't be able to hide it forever, but now the time was coming closer for her to find out. He dreaded that moment with every fiber. It was his own fault, which made it a thousand times worse.

She would blame him. He knew there was no easy way out of it. But perhaps he could do something to counter it. Maybe he could call off the gamble, and she wouldn't get as upset…

Someone knocked on the door. It took his mind several seconds to register to his brain that he was supposed to answer it. Sighing, he got up and opened the door. He blinked at the figure standing there. "Tony?"

"No! Sh!" The fox slipped in, acting suspiciously sneaky. He closed the door.

"What're you doing here?" Fox asked.

"Krystal needs your help. Something bad is going to happen. I'm not sure what, but I know it's going to be horrible."

"Tony, what're you…"

"I'm not Tony!" He snapped in a loud whisper. "I'm his brother. I have to help Krystal, but she doesn't know I'm alive. And she can't know, not now. You have to protect her. Tony's coming. I don't know what he'll do to her, but it's not going to be good."

Anger flared up inside of Fox. "So help me if he harms her in any way…"

"He will. I can tell you that for sure."

"I'll stop him! Where is he?"

"No! You can't let Krystal know you knew any of this. He's coming to see her. He'll be friendly at first, but I don't know what he'll do after that. If he tries anything, you'll be right there to bust him."

"If he hurts her, I'll do more than bust him." Fox said angrily.

"Good. For now, we wait." He eyed Fox. "You look awful… Clean up by eight. I'll be back…" He opened the door and peered out. Seeing no one, he walked into the hall and disappeared behind the elevator's doors.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Those famous last words… Anyway, setting up the event that leads to the event that leads to the event that leads the end… And sorry about the wait… Next chapter up soon…

_Vivian_: Yeah, right…

_Me_: Shut up. It's not my fault you took my computer!

_Vivian_: I didn't.

_Me_: 'Course not. You hired my mom to do it.

_Vivian_: Precisely.

_Me_: And now you're gonna pay. Evil plan's not workin' out so well anymore, huh?

_Vivian_: …


	39. Chapter 39: Rape and Lies

**Chapter 39**

A knock jolted the vixen from her sleep. She gasped, sitting up. She turned around, looking out at the Cornerian sky. It was dark. She got up and opened the door.

"Hey, you…" It was Tony. "Oh, I guess…" He blinked rapidly, and his eyes didn't focus on anything particular.

"I'm sorry, I fell asleep…" Krystal began. "I'll get ready. Where are we going?"

"No where real special. Just the park or something…" He replied.

"Oh. Okay. I'll be dressed in a few minutes. Do you want to come in?" She asked, opening the door all of the way. He stepped in, looking rather unbalanced. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, why?" He asked, turning to face her. He seemed to have a hard time focusing on anything.

"You seem…" A scent filled her nose. The scent of beer. "You've been drinking, haven't you…?" She said.

"Just a little…" He replied. "Not much…" He lost his balance and stumbled forward, pinning her against the wall.

"Tony, you're drunk. You should go." Krystal said.

"Well, how come?" He asked, grinning mischievously.

"You're drunk. I don't want to be around you right now. Why don't you come back tomorrow?" She suggested, trying to be polite.

He shifted positions, leaning closer. "Well, maybe I don't want to."

Although she could not read his mind, she could sense his feelings. A twinge of fear ran though her. "I asked you to go. Please respect my wishes and leave."

He leaned even closer, breathing right on her face. "What's wrong, you scared?" His voice sounded mean, taunting.

"Tony, get out." She said. The door was still open. He kicked it shut.

"Well, look at that. The door's closed." He said, smirking. "Looks like I'm stuck here."

She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him away. "Get out!" She snapped. "Get out right now!"

Now angry, he stepped forward and grabbed her face with his hand, squeezing her cheeks together. "Listen here, you're in no place to be shouting orders. I'll leave when I feel like it." He shoved her toward the center of the room.

She stumbled and fell, turning around with fear in her eyes. He advanced on her, a look of evil in his eyes. She scrambled to her feet and ran into the living room, looking frantically for a weapon. She couldn't use her power. If he found out…

His hand closed around her arm. He jerked her toward him. She came around with a hard punch to his jaw. He didn't let go. She kneed him in the groin. He grunted, doubling over. She fled to the kitchen and grabbed a sharp knife with trembling fingers.

He appeared in the doorway, an angered expression on his face. She pointed the knife toward him.

"Stay back!" She cried.

He took two steps toward her. She stepped back, still holding the knife out.

"I said stay back! Or I'll slice you!"

He stepped even closer, just two inches out of her reach. "I know you won't." He said.

"Then you don't know me." She snapped.

He began to step closer. She swung the knife. He grabbed her wrist in an iron grip and twisted her arm. She gasped in pain, dropping the knife. "There, see? I told you you wouldn't."

She swung her other arm and slapped him across the face. He grabbed her other wrist. "No! Let go!" She screamed. She tried to knee him again, but he blocked her with his leg.

"Ho, naughty girl." He said tauntingly. He pulled her into the bedroom. She twisted around, causing him to let go of her wrists. But as she started to run, he grabbed her shirt and pulled her backward.

"No!! Help me!!" She screamed, lunging away from him. The sound of material ripping reached her ears as she left her shirt in his hand. As long as he didn't catch her again. She fled toward the door. He ran ahead of her and stood in front of it. She turned and fled in the other direction. The door that connected her room to Fox's. Maybe, just maybe, he would hear her. She reached the door and pounded on it. "Fox!! Fox!! Help me!! Please!!" She cried. "Please!! Help me!!"

Tony's arm snaked around her waist. He shoved her away from the door. She screamed as she stumbled back and crashed into the table, knocking over a chair and slamming into the corner with her back. He grabbed her arm and jerked her backwards. She shrieked and slammed into the wall with a grunt. He slapped her across the face and slugged her in the gut. Then he grabbed her hair and dragged her into the other room while she screamed.

He threw her to the ground and climbed over her, pinning her to the floor. She tried to struggle, but he grabbed her hands and pinned her arms above her head. "Tony, stop it! Let me go!" She cried, panicking. He chuckled, an evil look in his eyes. "Let me go!!" Her mind screamed in terror. She had to get free. She screamed again. This couldn't be happening…

(**Meanwhile**)

"Dammit! He locked the door!" Connor swore under his breath.

"Then break it down! I have to save her!" Fox yelled.

"Alright, alright…" Connor paced, trying to think of how to get into the room. "Wait. Your room's next to hers. I can't break down this one; it'll draw too much attention. But that one will be easier. Come on."

They went back into Fox's room, to the door. Someone was pounding on the other side.

"Fox!! Fox!! Help me!! Please!!" It was Krystal. She was crying out for help! "Please!! Help me!!"

There was a grunt, and then a scream, and a crash. Then a shriek, and another grunt with a loud thud. A long scream followed. Silence for a few seconds, and then, "Tony, stop it! Let me go!"

"He's hurting her!" Fox said in despair.

"Let me go!!"

"Stand back a bit." Connor focused, staring at the door. He held out his hands, which glowed a bright blue. He could hear her screaming… He pushed his hands out in front of him, and the energy smashed the door. He did the same maneuver again.

"Help me!" Krystal screamed.

The third time, the door crashed to the ground. Fox bolted into the other room. Tony was on the ground, pinning Krystal. Her torn shirt was lying a few feet away, leaving her clad in her bra.

"You _get_ your _damn_ hands _off_ _her_!" Fox yelled. He grabbed Tony's shirt collar and yanked him up. Then he jerked him several feet to the side. The momentum carried Tony into the wall. Fox lunged after him, throwing a hard punch to the jaw. Tony was taken completely by surprise and did not fight back for several seconds. Fox's adrenaline rush carried him through punch after punch.

Tony struck him in the shoulder, and then in the gut. Fox was thrown off guard for one second too long. Tony gained the upper hand, grabbing the back of Fox's vest. The vulpine shrugged out of it and whipped around with another hard punch. The vest fell uselessly to the ground. Fox threw punch after punch to wherever he could reach. Tony's drunken state caused him to be less attentive, and within a short time he was passed out on the floor.

Fox grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out of the room, leaving him in the hallway. He closed the door behind him and hurried over to Krystal, who was still on the ground, facedown. She looked to be crying.

"Krystal, are you alright?" He asked softly, kneeling by her. She replied by sitting up and throwing her arms around his neck. He sat there for several long moments, just holding her.

"Thank you… Thank you, Fox…" She said tearfully. She let go, and sat back.

"I'm so sorry, Krystal. I wish there was something I could've done to prevent this."

"Y-you couldn't have… I-I'm just glad you came…" She said. She realized she was still in her bra; embarrassed, she stood up and covered her chest with her arms.

Fox stood as well. He reached out and gently touched her face with the tips of his fingers. He leaned in and planted a tender kiss on her lips. She stepped closer to him and placed her arms around his neck. He kissed her passionately, wrapping his arms around her.

She stepped back, suddenly afraid. Her heart was racing. She forgot the bed was behind her, and she fell onto it. She scooted back several inches, frightened.

"I'm sorry…" He said. He turned to go.

"Wait!" She called. He stopped, looking back at her. "Please don't go…"

"I'm… sorry… I just don't want to do something I'll regret." He said, looking away.

"Please stay. I don't want to be alone."

Seeing the fear in her eyes, he came to sit next to her. "Did he hurt you?"

She looked down and nodded. "I'll be alright…"

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "I'm sorry…" He whispered. He gently kissed her hair, and stroked her back. She leaned against him, and then she put her arm around his neck and placed her head on his shoulder. He held her tighter. She closed her eyes and relaxed into his arms.

He leaned back slowly, until he was lying down. She laid her head on his shoulder. He gently stroked her arm, staring down at her. He kissed her forehead, and then he kissed her nose. She scooted closer to him. A peaceful feeling came over her. Feeling his comforting presence made her feel safe, and calm. She soon drifted off.

Fox held her there for a long time, just listening to her breathe. Feeling her warmth against him calmed his heart. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

(**Several Hours Later, in the Morning**)

Fox slowly opened his eyes. He smiled softly as he saw her sleeping form next to him. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Good morning." He said softly.

She grinned. It finally dawned on her that he loved her, and that she loved him. And suddenly, she knew she was going to spend the rest of her life with him. She rolled on her back and stretched her arms above her head. "Wonderful morning…" She said. Merely being in his presence made her feel calm. She rolled on her side, facing him. She smiled as she read his thoughts.

_I love her so much…_

She giggled. Then, she realized. She could sense him again! "Fox, I can sense you." She said.

His smile faded. His vest! He'd been so absorbed in fighting Tony he'd forgotten about his vest! What if she read his mind and found out about the bet?

Krystal's grin vanished. The bet? What bet? She didn't have to search for the answer. It was the first thing on his mind. In the course of two seconds, her heart had gone from pieced together to shattered.

By the look on her face, Fox knew that she'd just found out.

"The bet?" She asked. He couldn't mistake the hurt in her voice. "You made a bet… on who could _win_ me?"

"Krystal, I…"

"Like I'm some sort of _object_?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"And not only did you make a bet, but the bet was who could sleep with me?" Now there was anger mixed with pain.

"Krystal, I'm sorry…"

"And on top of that, you tried to hide it. Get out." She said shortly. The tone in her voice cut Fox like a knife.

"I was going to call it off… I just didn't get a chance!"

"I said get out. I'll take my share from the mission, and then I don't ever want to see you again."

"Krystal, please!"

"Get out! Get away from me!" She got off the bed and stood up. "I never want to see you again, you hear?"

He got up and walked toward her. If she could only understand! "Krystal, please! I love you! I'm sorry!" When he was three feet from her, she stopped him with a shield. "Please, don't do this. I wasn't myself that night. Tony suggested the bet, and it was stupid of me to agree. I'm sorry!"

"Get out!!" She shouted. Tears began to well up in her eyes.

Fox's eyes were watering as well. "Krystal… please…"

"If you love me, then get out." She said, quieter.

He nodded slowly. Then he picked up his vest and walked through the door into his room.

Krystal shoved the door back up and put a chair in front of it. Fox's presence vanished as soon as he put on the vest. How could he have done that to her? She didn't care. There was only one thing left that she needed to do.

And this time, she wouldn't fail.

(**Meanwhile…**)

Tony opened his eyes, squinting upwards at the light. His face hurt. And so did his arms, legs, and gut. His arms were tied behind his back. His ankles were tied in front of him.

A tall figure stood over him.

"Well, now that you're awake, let me tell you something. If you ever touch her again, I'll kill you myself."

He knew that voice.

"Connor…" He muttered. "Where the hell am I…?"

"That's not important. What _is_ important is that you stay away from her. You and your ideas have backfired. She's on her way to the Great Fox. From there, she's going to quit the team and go to Cerinia."

"No!" Tony groaned. "You traitor… How could you…" He said. "I'm your brother! You would kill me?"

"I'm not going to kill you unless you come within twenty feet of her. And then, I'm going to beat you until you're dead. Got it?" Connor threatened.

Tony's body glowed a deep red. "You let me go…" He said, his voice becoming deeper.

"Go ahead, attack me. You're the one who's tied up, _brother_. How does it feel?"

Tony yelled, letting loose a flurry of deep, red energy.

Connor reflecting this attack, sending the energy straight back to Tony, who absorbed it.

Feeling a burst of energy, he struggled against the rope that tied his hands. His right hand slipped free of his binds. He didn't show Connor this new advantage. Instead, he attacked him with more of the red energy. A second too late, Connor tried to reflect it. Instead he found himself being thrown across the room and slammed into the wall.

He fell to the ground as the darkness swallowed him.

--

**Author's Notes:** Yes, another short chapter…in a long amount of time… But another thousand words becomes difficult when your main bad guy is a telepath who likes to erase your ideas in his spare time… Plus, I have to live up to my reputation of leaving the dreaded cliffhangers.

Next chapter will be up…well, hopefully in a shorter amount of time than this chapter took… (-sheepish grin-)

Longest comment award goes to Assassin CTL. Congratulations! (-cheering and applause-)

Reviews! Please and thank you!

_Vivian: _Took you long enough.

_Me:_ Well, tell that to Cloaky. He keeps sabotaging all my computers!

_Vivian: _Good point… well, nothing I can do about that.

_Me:_ Think of something. You're evil…you think of evil things to do to people. Think of something evil to do to him.

_Vivian:_ Meh…why do that when I can simply laugh while you try to figure out a way to get a working computer?

_Me: _(-glare-) Fine. We'll leave you all hanging then.


	40. Chapter 40: Betrayal

**Chapter 40**

Krystal snuck onto the Great Fox, keeping her senses alert. She couldn't sense Fox, which was her one disadvantage. She thought he was still in his room when she left, but he could easily have followed her without her knowing. She looked around and walked through the hall. Peppy was on the bridge, asleep. She silently prayed that he would stay that way.

She opened the door that led to her room. Then she walked to the bed and kneeled, looking beneath it. With the lights off, the faint bluish glow was dim, but visible. She lay on her back and scooted beneath the bed, and then she reached up and pulled her favorite weapon loose from the frame. She crawled out and went to the dresser. She withdrew her old Cerinian clothes, and rolled them so that they wouldn't take up a lot of space.

Then she took her Cerinian jewelry from the hidden corner of the drawer and closed it. She glanced around the room one last time, and then turned to go. Memories of her adventures with Fox entered her mind. She pushed them aside and entered the bridge. She sighed, giving the large room a final look.

So much had happened, and now she was moving on. The thought would've made her cringe at any other time, but now, she embraced it.

"Krystal…"

His voice made her jump.

"Please don't go…"

"I don't want to talk to you anymore. Leave me alone!" She snapped. _Don't do this, Fox… Please don't make this harder…_ She thought.

"Krystal, I love you! You can't leave like this! Please… can't we just talk?" His voice sounded desperate.

She swallowed. Perhaps leaving would be more difficult than she had first assumed. "You had your chance to talk. You had a million chances to tell me what was going on. If you really loved me, you wouldn't have made a bet that was to take advantage of me. Move… let me go." She walked past him and hurried to the docking bay, hoping that he would not follow yet knowing that he would.

"You wouldn't even have an Arwing if it wasn't for me." He said, trying a different approach to delay her a while longer.

"Yes. And I thanked you for that. I did my share of work on this team same as you. But I won't be treated the way you treated me in making that bet. Goodbye." She hopped into the cockpit and shut the glass. She felt his presence. He'd taken off the vest.

_I know you can hear me… don't do this._ His thoughts flooded her mind. She forced herself to block out his thoughts and flew out of the docking bay. She knew he was getting into his arwing to pursue her. But where she was going, if he followed, he would die.

She put on a boost and flew faster. He followed at a safe distance. _I wonder why he didn't put the vest back on…_ She thought.

She tuned out all of the results of her telepathy and closed her eyes as her arwing followed the auto-pilot setting. She took a deep breath and looked out of her window. The red planet known as Titania floated by slowly.

Suddenly, Fox wasn't following her. He went down toward Titania.

Curious, she switched to manual and stopped. She waited a good three minutes, and then she followed him at a safe distance. She made sure he wasn't going to spot her and circled around one of the many large craters in the planet. He had landed near the center.

She landed behind the next sand dune and got out. She couldn't sense him again. She looked around, nervous that he might be watching her.

She caught his presence for a split second, but then it was gone. He was half-way across the crater, heading for the edge. She carefully followed, making sure she could spot him but that he couldn't see her.

Suddenly, he disappeared behind a sand dune near the edge. She walked a few steps and stopped, unsure of whether to follow or not…

(**Meanwhile…**)

Fox hurried behind the rocky area, looking for who he'd come to meet. No one was there. He sighed, wondering if he'd gotten mixed up with the place. He was at the edge of the large crater, hidden behind a pile of rocks. That's where Tony had suggested they meet.

He turned to go, hoping perhaps he'd find Tony on his way back to his arwing.

"Well, well, well… Look who's here." A voice said.

Fox nearly jumped. He turned to face the unknown intruder, and gasped. "_You_!" He snapped. "_You're_ the one who's been trying to kill Krystal!"

The cloaked vulpine chuckled. "Why, yes. You recognized me." He said. "Unfortunately, you're all alone. And without a weapon? One would think the great Fox McCloud would carry his gun wherever he went."

"I wasn't planning on seeing _you_. Why are you trying to kill her? What did she ever do to you?" Fox asked, trying to buy himself time to think of a plan.

"Krystal? It's not what she's already done; it's what she will do." He sneered.

"How do you know what she will do?"

"She's destined to save her planet. I can't let that happen."

"Why should you care what happens to Cerinia?" Fox asked.

"If she saves Cerinia, I will be sent into another dimension and never be able to return. It will be constant torture, and I'm not done with this world yet." The hooded fox explained.

"How does she save Cerinia? It's a dead planet, as far as she's told me. It's her mother that told her to save it, but she never said how." Fox said.

"Well, I'm going to kill you in a moment, so I guess I can tell you." Fox's eyes widened. "She must go deep into the Sacred Temple, and complete the tests there. There are several traps along the way, and the planet is ridden with creatures so terrible, one could only imagine. Lucky for her, most of them avoid the Temple. There are seven tests for her to complete, all within a time limit. If she fails even one of them, she will be killed. At the end of all seven rooms within which the tests take place, if she makes it, there are seven locks. She must unlock them all or she will fail and die. After all of that, a portal will open, and it will send her into an alternate universe where Cerinia's people were never destroyed. _If_ she succeeds, that is."

As the hooded vulpine talked, he slowly paced back and forth. Fox discreetly made his way toward the exit, while listening to what he was saying. He knew this information had to be given to Krystal. The second he stopped talking, Fox darted past him, trying to escape. He ran head-on into a red shield that blocked his path and bounced off, landing on the ground.

"Ah, nice try. I'm not that stupid, McCloud. I saw you making your way for the exit and decided to put up a little blockade for you. You're not getting away this time."

Fox climbed quickly to his feet, only to find himself on the ground again as the cloaked figure swept his leg against his ankles. The quick vulpine rolled to the side as the hooded figure drew a knife and plunged it into the dirt where he had been only a second before. Fox leapt to his feet and drove his foot into the cloaked figure's side. He attempted to disarm him by throwing a kick toward his wrist. The hooded animal was too fast and was on his feet as well in a split second.

Fox rushed at him, trying to tackle him to the ground, but the other landed a punch in his gut. Fox leapt back as the other struck at him with the knife, finding himself trapped against the rocks. He blocked one swipe, and then another, fear and adrenaline coursing through his veins. Before he could react, the cloaked figure's hand struck his gut. Pain shot through his left side. He ignored it, seeing an opportunity to strike. He took it, landing a solid blow to the side of his adversary's muzzle. Intense pain shot through his side as the cloaked figure rolled to the ground, still holding the knife.

Only now there was blood on the handle.

Fox glanced down at his waist. Blood gushed from a gaping wound. He looked down, realizing that the hooded fiend had dropped the knife and was now escaping.

As the cloaked male was leaving, Fox picked up the knife with his right hand. He grabbed his bleeding stomach with his left, trying to ease the pain. He hurled the knife toward the fleeing figure, hitting him in the shoulder.

The cloaked figure yelped as he reached behind him and took it out. Now angry, he advanced on Fox and stabbed him in the gut a second time, drawing a grunt of agony. He withdrew the knife and plunged it a third time. He stepped back, pulling the knife out and letting it fall to the ground.

"Just _die_, you pathetic idiot!" He snapped with a dramatic fling of his arms. The hood flew off his head, and he jerked it back on, horrified that Fox might have seen his face.

Fox gasped. _It's _him_! How…?_ He thought in horror as the Cloaked figure walked away. He grimaced, slowly lowering himself to the ground. He was losing a lot of blood, and he knew if he didn't get help, he'd be dead in a matter of minutes. He carefully removed his shirt, and used it to lessen the blood loss. He groaned in pain as he tried to stand, only to fall back to the ground.

He coughed several times and spit up several ounces of blood. There was no way he could drag himself all of the way back to his arwing to call for help. All he could do was silently pray that somehow, someone would happen to walk by.

(**Meanwhile**)

Just beyond the base, Krystal was running toward them, having sensed Fox's in pain. Although she could not sense his presence because of the chip in his vest, she could feel his pain through her mind. She stumbled over a hill of sand, running right into none other than Tony. Seeing the blood on his hands, she screamed.

"Krystal! Fox was stabbed! He… I think that guy in the hood got him. He got me too, but… Fox needs help. He looks awful! I'm not even sure he'll make it another few minutes." Tony said.

"What!? No… call for help now! I'll go see him. There might be something I can do." She said. Tony nodded and ran toward the small ship he'd come in. Krystal ran as fast as she could to the rocks. There was a knife on the ground a few feet from an opening into a small hidden area. A low moan came from the area.

Krystal rushed behind the rocks and caught her breath in horror. She kneeled by Fox, almost afraid to touch him.

"K… Krystal…" He murmured.

"No… don't talk…" Krystal said gently. She took his head in her arms and soothingly stroked his arm. "It's alright… Tony's gone for help." She said.

"I'm sorry…" He muttered. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Shh…" She whispered soothingly, caressing his face with her hand. "Don't talk. It'll be alright."

"I'm sorry… It's all my fault…" He groaned.

"It's not…" She began.

"I wanted to call it off… I tried…" He said in a barely audible voice.

"No, it's alright…" She said softly, trying to comfort him. Her eyes began to water, but she forced back her tears. "Tony will get help…"

"No…Tony…not Tony…" He groaned.

"He's gone to the arwings…He told me you were stabbed…" She said. A look of fear came to Fox's eyes. Before she could ask, his thoughts flooded her mind.

_No…he's going to do something bad again…He's the one who stabbed me…I can't tell her, can I? What if she doesn't believe me? I can hardly think… it hurts so bad…_ He grimaced in pain, feeling nautious. Then he lost consciousness.

**Author's Notes: **Well, this didn't take as long as you thought, did it? Unfortunately…the next chapter might…

Longest rant award goes to Dantin. Congratulations! (-crowd goes wild-)

(-has locked Vivian in the bathroom while she was doing her hair-) hehehe… She probably hasn't even noticed yet.


	41. Chapter 41: Goodbye

**Chapter 41**

Krystal gasped, mouth agape. Tony.

Tony had just gone for help. But if he was the one who tried to kill Fox in the first place, would he really try to help him? She had run right into him.

He might've killed her. He wanted to kill her. He was the one who had wanted her dead the whole time.

But worse than that, Fox was dying. If Tony had not gone for help, then he would not make it. She had seconds to decide what to do; wait with Fox on the chance that Tony had gone for help, or leave Fox there and go for help herself.

If she left him, Tony might come back to finish him off. But if she waited for Tony, he would surely die.

She took a deep breath, looking him over. He had apparently taken off his shirt and pressed it over his wound to try to stop the bleeding. She picked it up and shook it, and then ripped it from the collar down the center. She rolled it up and then set it aside. Then she ripped the bottom half of her own shirt and folded it up just so it would cover his wounds. She pressed it against his waist, and then carefully took his shirt and tied it around him.

At least now he would not bleed as much.

"I'm sorry, Fox…please hold on. I won't be long." She kissed his forehead and then she turned and ran as fast as she could toward her arwing. But then, his was closer.

It seemed she could not run fast enough. Her legs began to throb as she stumbled through the sand, but she forced them to keep moving. She had to make it.

For Fox.

(**Meanwhile…**)

Connor awoke with a terrible throb in his temples. He looked up at the pale beige ceiling that had once been white. This was where he had tied up his brother to keep him from killing Krystal.

He sat up, feeling dizzy and disoriented. He looked at the corner. Tony was gone.

Figured.

He stood up and looked around. Tony would go after Krystal again. Perhaps he wouldn't kill her, but he would still do something terrible, like he had attempted to do the night before.

Connor left the room and searched the spot where he had hid his weapon.

Gone.

With a groan of exasperation, he ran out of the old abandoned building and into the hot desert of Titiania. His ship was also gone.

Things were not going as planned. Not at all.

He looked west, in the direction that the base was. They would help him. If nothing else, maybe he could get another ship.

He began to run, knowing that he had little - if any - time to find his brother. Perhaps this new life the rock had given him wasn't as wonderful as he'd first imagined.

At least before he could teleport and stop time.

Now he was stuck, like the other beings.

After several minutes, he reached the tall cliff of the valley's edge. To his astonishment, he spotted three ships. Two were arwings.

The third was his.

A lone figure ran across the sand toward one of the arwings.

Another figure approached slowly from the other side of the arwings. It was Tony.

It was then Connor realized that the other figure was Krystal. He gasped in horror.

Tony was going to confront her again.

He began the hurried scramble to get down the cliff's wall. Nearly halfway there, his foot slipped and he slid the rest of the way down.

He got up with a groan, brushed himself off, and ran toward where he'd seen her.

He had to stop Tony.

(**Meanwhile…**)

Krystal tripped over some sort of debris in the sand and collapsed. She pushed herself to her knees, panting. She was almost there. Only fifty yards to go.

She got up and continued running, panting and stumbling. She could see the ship. Just another twenty yards.

As she came within eight yards of the arwing, a figure stepped out from behind it.

Tony.

"Krys… is Fox… is he…?"

"I told you to get help." She said between pants, trying not to show her fear. "If you'd gotten help right away, he'd have a better chance."

"So he's still alive?"

"He was when I left. I have to call someone." She walked toward the arwing.

"Don't you think you should make sure he's alive before you go and call for help?"

"What's wrong with you? He's dying…he needs help now."

"Are you sure?"

"Dammit Tony! You're the one who stabbed him! You know he needs help!" She blurted.

He raised his eyebrows, looking at her with a surprised expression. "I'm the one who stabbed him? And what gave you that conclusion?"

She froze, staring at him. "I read his thoughts. It was you." She said.

"Oh really?" He began to pace in front of the arwing. "And what else was our little friend thinking?"

"You're the one who's been trying to kill me. You're the one who doesn't want me to save Cerinia. It was you the whole time! You're sick!"

A smirk crossed his face. "That's quite a lot to accuse someone of."

"Fox stabbed his attacker in the right shoulder area before he left. You're wounded in the right shoulder. If you weren't the one who stabbed him, you wouldn't have blood on your hands."

"Ah, so you…caught me red handed, so to speak." He still wore a smirk that began to unnerve her.

"I don't have time to talk to you. We'll deal with it later. I need to get help." She stepped forward, and so did Tony.

"I can't let you do that. Fox is not going to ruin this for me. Not a second time." He reached a hand behind him and drew a staff identical to Krystal's except for the color of the gem.

His was blood red.

Krystal reached behind her, only to realize that she had left her backpack in her arwing. Fear began to settle in.

She swallowed, stepping back. "This isn't fair. I don't have a weapon."

"Ah… which is why I brought one for you." He drew another staff, this one with a white gem. "Let's see how well your father taught you…" He tossed it to her.

She extended it and stood ready to defend herself. Fox was depending on her. If she couldn't get to the comm and call for help, he would die.

"A fight…to the death." His eyes obtained a misty hint of orange as he spoke.

To the death. So now she was fighting for both of their lives.

If she failed, both her and Fox would die.

Tony leapt at her and swung his staff. She blocked and shoved him away with a grunt. As he swung again, she made a shield to protect herself. He paused, staring at her.

"Is that how we're going to do it? By cheating?" He asked. "Very well." A red blast of energy struck her shield. He was powerful… very powerful.

She couldn't take many more blows like that one.

Then she remembered what Con had taught her. To absorb.

As he threw another attack, she waited with the shield up. Then, as she predicted, he threw several blasts her way. She dropped the shield and absorbed all seven of them.

Tony stopped, staring at her with a hint of admiration. "Very good. My brother taught you well."

He leapt at her again. At the last second, she struck him with her blue energy. He flew backward and tumbled over the arwing.

She took her chance and ran toward it.

He leapt down directly in front of her. "Not so fast…" He grabbed her by her throat. "…princess." He lifted her as if she was a doll and shoved her against the arwing, squeezing his hand on her neck.

She winced, trying to pry his fingers loose. Her feet dangled nearly a foot off the ground. She swung her legs, trying to kick him. He created a shield to block her.

She shortened the staff and pointed the tip toward him, and then she extended it. It hit his shield, and the other end shot into the side of the arwing.

She let go of it and continued to pull at his hand.

He laughed. "It's useless, darling. You're going to die soon, and so is Fox."

Her lungs burned, desperate for oxygen. She felt her consciousness beginning to slip. He was right; she couldn't hold on much longer.

_So this is it… _She thought. _I came all of this way to die by the hand of the man I thought loved me… and let the man who really loves me die as well…_ Tears began to form in her eyes. _Please… don't let me die here…_

But she knew it was useless. Her strength was all but gone, as was her life.

A yell came from somewhere behind her.

Suddenly, Tony's grip loosened. She fell to the ground with a gasp and lay there for nearly a full minute, coughing and gasping. Then she stood up, trying to comprehend what had happened.

Someone had attacked Tony. That was the only explanation. She stumbled to the front of the arwing, holding her neck. Two nearly identical figures were tumbling over each other, fighting. Blue and red flashes came from them.

It had to be Con.

Suddenly it occurred to her. Tony was Con's brother. Tony only had one brother.

Connor.

She gasped, staring at them. It was Connor.

Tony grabbed him from behind, throwing his arm around his neck and squeezing. He leaned back, attempting to lift Connor off the ground. Connor winced, arching his back.

His shirt lifted a few inches, and Krystal caught sight of a long scar on his abdomen. An image crossed her mind…the image of Tony doubled over in pain over a deep cut in his waist.

Only it wasn't Tony.

Connor threw his weight forward and flipped Tony over his shoulder. There was no way he could defeat Tony without a weapon.

Krystal ran and yanked the staff from the side of the arwing. Hopefully it had not damaged the engines too badly.

"Hey!" She screamed.

Connor looked up. She shortened the staff and threw it to him. He caught it as Tony climbed to his feet. "Go!" He yelled. Then he turned around and whacked Tony in the face with the end of the staff.

Krystal turned and climbed into the arwing. She started the engine and switched on the comm.

"Great Fox! Come in! This is Krystal. Please, come in!" She cried frantically as she lifted off the ground.

"Krys? It's Katt. What's up?"

"Fox's been stabbed and he's bleeding a lot. He passed out about a minute after I got there."

"What!?"

"Get help! Hurry! I'm going to stay with him until you get here. He can't last much longer, and I can't do anything for him. You have to hurry!"

"I'll have the space station send a medical cruiser. Rob! Set course for Titania!" She yelled. "We're on our way. Hang on!"

Fingers trembling, Krystal set the arwing down right beside the rocks and hopped out. She ran to Fox and checked his pulse. It was weak; and getting weaker. Tears came to her eyes.

"Fox…you have to hold on. You have to… your team needs you. Corneria needs you…you can't die like this. Please…don't die. Not now." Tears streamed down her cheeks and dropped onto his fur. "Please…please don't die. They need you…I need you." She bit her lips, unsuccessfully trying to hold back her sobs. "Please Fox…don't let go…" She reached down and took his hand in hers. "They're coming, Fox…they'll be here soon. Just a little while longer…"

She looked up into the sky as four presences entered her mind. Four arwings dropped from the sky and circled out of view.

"They're here!" She whispered in relief.

A few seconds later, Falco and Katt ran around the corner. "Krystal!" Katt cried. "What happened?"

"It…it was Tony…he told me before he passed out."

"Tony?" She blinked and looked down, shocked. "Why? Why would he do something like this?"

"He's… he's the one who… he's the one who started it all. I'll explain later… what can you do?"

"The medical cruiser is on the way. They're equipped with warp engines. They should be here soon."

As she spoke, a large ship flew out of the sky, about the size of the Great Fox's docking bay.

Falco ran to meet them. Krystal stood up, still crying, as two paramedics came around the corner pulling a hovering gurney.

They carefully lifted Fox onto it and pushed it into the ship.

Krystal watched as the ship flew off.

"They're taking him to the Corneria Hospital." Falco said. "Let's meet them there."

Krystal shook her head, looking down. "I can't…I can't face him again… not after this. He did this for me."

Falco shook his head and waved his hand in dismissal. "Do what you want." He got into his arwing and flew away.

Katt placed her hand on Krystal's shoulder. "Krystal…It's…the least you can do is see if he'll survive."

"I can't…what if he doesn't?"

"I don't know what will happen. You could at least be there for him. You know he'd do the same for you."

She hesitated, and then nodded. "Alright…"

"Where's your arwing?"

"Across…over there." She pointed into the distance.

"Hop on my wing." Katt said. She got into her ship and started it up. Krystal climbed onto the wing and crouched in a well balanced position.

As they got into the air, Krystal searched the ground for signs of the two brothers she had left fighting.

They had both gone somehow. There was no sign of either of them.

Katt slowed her ship to a halt, four feet from the ground just beside Krystal's arwing.

Krystal leapt off the wing and landed on the ground. Then she climbed into her own arwing and followed the others out of the atmosphere.

Slippy set his tractor beam on Fox's arwing and towed it up.

Krystal piloted her arwing toward Cerinia, trying to keep her mind from all of the terrible possibilities. At least it would keep her from crying again.

She tried to set her mind on her mission; Cerinia. She still had to go back to her planet. There was still a way to set things right, although she had no clue what would happen or how she would make it happen.

(**One Hour Later…**)

Krystal piloted into the Cornerian Docking Bay and set down next to the Great Fox, which had arrived moments before her.

Katt had just gotten out of her arwing.

"Krys…we're all gonna head to the hospital. Let's go."

She nodded, looking down. The team took two taxis to the largest of the hospitals in Lylat, and they arrived within two minutes of each other.

No one said a word to each other. Each wore a solemn look; no one dared to make a joke or smile.

Krystal was the saddest of all, for she knew that if she had not been so upset with Fox, this wouldn't have happened. Peppy inquired at the desk where he had been taken, and they went together to the seventh floor of the ten story building.

Krystal closed her eyes and sat down in the waiting room, trying to block out the thoughts.

Hospitals are a telepath's worst enemy.

All she could sense was fear, pain, and loneliness, and it only added to her own emotions. She tried her best to block them out. Going to the largest hospital in the world was the last thing she wanted to do, but she had to find out if he would live or not.

If he lived, she would say her farewell and leave for Cerinia. If he died…

She tried not to think of that as an option. He had to live. That was just it. There was no way he could die at a time like this. His team needed him, and however much she wanted to deny it, she was in love with him.

He simply could not afford to die.

"Krys, are you coming?" Katt's voice broke through her mind.

"Huh? Oh…where…?" She asked absent-mindedly.

"Weren't you listening? They said we can see him now."

She nodded, trying to focus through the confusion.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm…fine…I guess. I don't like hospitals…"

"Oh, right…telepathy." Katt sighed. "Come on." She took Krystal's hand and led her down the hall to room 787.

The rest of the team was already there.

"They said he wasn't doing well when he got here, but that since he's young he'll most likely make it." Falco said, staring at the unconscious Fox.

Krystal gasped softly. Seeing him like that, lying limp beneath the white sheet with pale skin beneath his fur sent nausea through her gut and a lump into her throat. She walked to his side and stared down at him, studying the soft features of his kind face.

"Let's give her a minute…" Katt whispered to Falco. "Let her be alone with him for a while."

Peppy's extra sensitive ears heard her, and he whispered to Slippy. Together, quietly, the four of them left the room.

Krystal wouldn't have noticed if Venomians had come in and blown the building to kingdom come.

She stared down at Fox as tears began to form in her eyes.

"It's my fault you're like this…It's my fault." She reached down and took his hand. His skin was warm and soft against hers. "I'm so sorry, Fox…I… I forgive you. It wasn't right of you to make a bet for me…but I still forgive you. I can't stay here with you. I have to go. I don't deserve someone like you… I'm no good for you. Forget me…"

She wiped the tears from her eyes and then she leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Goodbye, Fox…"

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Well, so much for finishing this within forty chapters… The end is near, though. Just a few more chapters and we'll reach the conclusion of this twisted plot I've created…

_Tony: _Good riddance.

_Me: _Good riddance indeed. I'll never have to deal with you again.

_Tony: _(-Confused look-)

_Me:_ That's right. When the story is finished, so will you be…

_Tony: _O.O

_Me: _That's right, mister. Your days are NUMBERED. (-evil laugh-) MUAHAHAHAHA!! (-lights go out-) Uh…guys? …hello…? (-no answer-) o.o


	42. Chapter 42: Return to Cerinia

**Chapter 42**

"Goodbye, Fox…" The words echoed in his mind, tearing at his soul and slicing through his heart.

Not the words themselves, but the voice that had spoken them so softly in his ear. Had it been any other voice or any other words from that voice, he would not have cared.

Then he felt soft lips against his cheek for a brief moment. A door slammed shut. The voice was gone.

His mind was numb. It suddenly occurred to him that he should do something. He should go after the voice… Something was wrong, but the pain medication seemed to disrupt his thought process. There was something about the voice…

Krystal. Of course, it was Krystal's voice. Who was Krystal?

He loved Krystal. He would die for Krystal. He had broken her tender loving heart to pieces, and almost died trying to make things right. But it was worth everything to hear her say she still loved him.

He would die a thousand painful deaths to hear her say she loved him; to feel her arms around him… to smell the sweet scent of her fur… to see her smiling at him… to taste her soft lips against his…

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. She'd left. She was gone. She'd said her farewell and now she was gone.

But that couldn't be. He would have to go after her. He couldn't let her go. He was desperately in love with this woman, and yet he was lying here doing nothing while she slipped through his fingers.

He opened his eyes with a gasp. White ceiling. White walls. White sheets. White cabinet in the corner.

Everything was white.

An all too familiar and sickening smell filled the air. Like alcohol and rubber.

He was in the hospital.

But then some part of him knew he would end up there… He sat up, only to fall back with a groan as pain shot through his stomach. He had to get out of here.

He pressed the call button for the nurse. A young ferret came scurrying in.

"Get my team in here." He demanded.

She gave him a blank look.

"Look at me. Do you know who I am?"

She looked down at the chart in her hand. "Fox… McCloud?"

"Yes. I'm a mercenary. If it wasn't for my team and I, you would not exist right now and neither would this planet. Now _get my team._ Are they here?"

Another blank look. This woman's knowledge of the outside world obviously didn't extend beyond the road between wherever she lived and this hospital.

"Falco Lombardi? Katt Monroe?" She blinked. Fox sighed. "If they're here, they'll be in one of the waiting rooms. Please go get them. I need to speak to them."

She hesitated.

"This is a _life or death situation_!! Do you want to be responsible for the murder of a million innocent people and the unraveling of time itself and the destruction of all animal life as we know it!?" He shouted. Her eyes widened in shock. "_HURRY UP_!!!"

She scrambled out of the room, apparently convinced that if she didn't cooperate, her life and everyone else's life would be wasted. But that was just how Fox wanted her to think. Because his own life was unraveling at the seams, and with it, his team. The responsibilities of team Star Fox would not easily be placed on another's shoulders. He had to convince them that if he could not do his job, then something drastic would happen to the Lylat System.

And it was true.

Falco and Katt burst into the room, confused and worried looks on their faces.

"Where's Peppy? And Slippy?" He asked.

"The nurse just said you wanted to see us."

"I didn't say…oh, for the love of god _get them in here_!" He snapped. Katt rolled her eyes and walked back out of the room.

"What's going on?" Falco asked.

"In a minute." Fox replied. "I want the whole team present."

As if on cue the three missing members walked in.

"Fox, what's wrong?" Peppy asked.

"Where's Krystal?" He asked, even though he already knew what their response would be.

"We thought she was with you…"

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Then she's gone… I heard her say goodbye just before I woke up. I was hoping I'd imagined it… I know where she's going. Cerinia."

"Then let her go." Katt replied. "It's no use going after her. You'll die. And there's no way to leave once you arrive."

"You survived and left."

"That was a one in a million stroke of luck. My grandmother was Cerinian. They said that everyone who wasn't originally from their planet died within twenty four hours of their arrival. You're not Cerinian. You'll die."

"Why can't I use my arwing?"

"Nothing electronic works on the surface. None of my gadgets, my arwing… my blaster even. Nothing. It works before and after you're there. But not during."

"An electromagnetic field of some sort…" He mused. "If I can find the source, I can turn it off and leave safely. You guys could run the scanners from the ship and direct me to it."

"Your comm won't work." She replied. "There would be no way to tell you where it is or how to get there."

"Then I'll run the scans myself before I go… There has to be some way!"

"No. Besides. You might not even survive the landing. Your ship will die the second you enter the atmosphere. I was extremely lucky to land on the beach. If you miss the beach, either you land in the water and drown, or you crash on the surface and come out severely wounded at best. It's too risky."

"I can't just let her go. She doesn't know what he's got planned! She'll die!"

"Krystal's smart. She won't go down easily."

"I can't risk that."

"Krystal chose her destiny, Fox. No one forced her to go. She could've asked for your help if she wanted it. But she didn't. So there's no use going."

"But I know what she has to do. Tony said she didn't know. She even said she didn't know! He told me everything."

"She'll figure it out."

"But if she doesn't, she'll die…" He sighed. "I'm captain of this team. I'll say what we do."

"Alright then, what're your orders?"

"We go."

(**Meanwhile…**)

Krystal stood quietly in the Corneria Docking Bay, looking at the Great Fox. She knew Fox would come after her as soon as he awoke, which didn't give her much time.

No matter; she had successfully slowed their imminent pursuit by disabling their warp engines. She climbed into her arwing and flew away, heading for Cerinia. By the time they started their pursuit, it would be too late. And surely Katt would tell them that they would die if they entered the atmosphere of Cerinia…

She had only enough fuel to make it there. But that was fine, because she wasn't ever planning on leaving… not like she would be able to, anyway.

She set the ship on auto pilot to the coordinates where she knew by heart that the planet would be, and closed her eyes. _Might as well get some sleep… _she thought. _I've got a lot to do once I get there…_

(**Meanwhile**)

After a twenty minute argument with the doctor, Fox left the hospital with crutches and a healing patch. He was still almost too weak to walk, but he insisted on leaving.

The five members of Star Fox took two taxis to the Corneria Docking Bay and boarded the Great Fox.

"That's funny…I thought I left Rob on…" Slippy mused, resetting the power switch on the robot.

It took five minutes to start up the engines and enter space.

"Turn on the warp control. Let's see if we can beat her there." Fox said.

"Sure thing, Fox." Slippy replied. He switched a few buttons. Nothing happened. "Huh… I'll check the engine room." He got up and left the bridge.

Peppy looked over the controls. "The engines aren't responding."

"What's wrong with them?" Fox asked.

"I'm not quite sure. Slippy should find it." A light flashed on the control panel. "Peppy here. Slippy, have you found what's wrong?"

"Yeah… I think so."

"Can you fix it?"

"Well, yeah. It'll take about an hour."

"Get to work. What happened?"

"I think…well… someone sabotaged us. They had to have done it on purpose. They cut two of the power lines just so…so that it would take that long to fix them, but the ship would still run."

"Hm…I'll come down and see how I can help. They might've done something else, too."

"Okay."

Peppy switched off the comm and then he left the bridge.

"Who would sabotage the Great Fox?" Falco asked.

"I got three names." Katt said. "And I think I know which one."

"Who?" Fox asked.

"Tony, Vivian, or Krystal."

"What!? Krystal wouldn't do that!" Fox cried.

"Well… if it was Tony, he'd have made it so the ship couldn't ever run again or planted some kind of trap to kill us all. We're still alive, so…" She shrugged. "Vivian… unfortunately isn't the brightest candle in the window. She's smart, but not that smart. Besides, she has no reason to sabotage us unless her apology to us and Krystal was a load of B.S. But Krystal is not only smart enough to cut the wires in just such a place, she also would've had time to before we got here."

"But why would she do that?"

"Think about it, Fox. She knows you well enough to know that you were going to come after her. She probably didn't want to have to deal with you again. She really loves you, and I know if you asked her to stay, she would. And she wants to make sure she gets to Cerinia before us, so that we can't do anything about it. Cutting the wires gives her more time. And she didn't completely kill the ship, so she only wanted to slow us down. Not kill us."

Fox sighed. "What if you're wrong?"

The light flashed on the control board. Fox switched on the comm from his chair. "Fox here."

"Hey, Fox, someone messed with my tools. Only you guys know where I keep them." Slippy said.

Katt gave him a 'you know I'm right' look.

"Who could've found them?" Slippy asked.

"I think I know…" Fox said. "It's alright… just get to work fixing those engines. I'll handle it." He said. Then he switched off the comm.

"So… Krystal cut the wires to keep us from following her?" Falco asked.

"Let's not worry about that now. Let's just worry about getting to Cerinia."

"Don't you think she's trying to tell us something? Like…maybe she doesn't want company down there?"

"I'll worry about that, okay? See if we can at least go to Jet Speed."

Falco sighed. He pressed a few buttons and the ship lurched forward. "Jet Speed." He said, slightly annoyed. "Do you even know where the planet _is_?"

"We should be on course for Sauria. They're sister planets. They can't be too far apart."

Falco nodded. "That's just great. You got _no_ frickin clue."

"Relax, thunderhead. I know where it is." Katt retorted.

Fox winced at the pain in his stomach.

"Fox, even if Slippy had the warp engines fixed _right this second_, it'd take us four hours to get to Cerinia. Go get some rest." Katt said.

"No. I need to be here."

"For what? You need rest. You need to heal. Go sleep. I promise I'll wake you as soon as anything happens."

He sighed. "Alright…fine." He winced again as he stood up and carefully limped off the bridge with his crutches.

Katt sat down and swiveled her chair to look out the window. The white stars slowly floated by.

"Why are you so reluctant to go back?" Falco asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I know you too well, Katt. You don't want to go to Cerinia. I can see it in your eyes."

Katt sighed. "I went through a lot on that planet. It took me six years and an amazing stroke of luck to get off. Now Fox thinks he can go and come back unscathed… I have Cerinian ancestors on my father's side. Fox will die if he goes to the surface."

"Why? What would kill him?"

"I don't know… I only saw one foreigner come while I was there. He got really sick… and then he just died."

"How?"

"He got really weak…and he coughed a lot. By the time the sun went down, he couldn't even stand on his own. His skin got really pale, and he got this… far away…almost glassy look in his eyes. They turned gray. And he ran a fever… he was sweating a lot. We tried to care for him, but… by morning, he was dead. The Cerinians said that it happened to everyone who came to their planet, except me."

"It kinda sounds like he was poisoned. Maybe he ate something that his system couldn't handle."

"He brought his own food. And it happened to everyone else who came."

"Maybe it's something in the food that makes them immune."

"No… there were others who ate the food and suffered the same fate."

"You said none of the electronics work? Fox said something about a field. I think he could be right."

"It's very possible. Maybe the field has something to do with their deaths…"

"Yeah… that could be it."

"Maybe I _should_ go… it would set Fox more at ease about Krystal, and there's no risk of him dying from up here." Katt said, looking down.

"But you'd never be able to leave."

"I'll find a way…I guess."

"How did you leave the first time?"

"Krystal's brother Kevin, Slippy's only known rival on knowledge of electronics, built a ship using the rocks on the planet. They have some sort of energy thing. He disappeared, and we kinda thought he might've died. Then the meteor hit and all hell broke loose. In all the panic, everyone got separated. I took his ship and escaped. I towed mine behind it. Then I crashed on Sauria, but my ship was still mostly intact. I fixed some minor problems and left."

"Interesting…" Falco mused. "So the rocks have some kinda mystical power source. Do you think we can get a hold of one?"

"It's unlikely…but possible…that Kevin's ship is still there. If we can find the rocks he used to power his ship, we can-…"

"Figure out how they work and use them for the arwing's power source." He finished.

"Yes!"

"If we can convince Fox…"

"No. We'll never be able to do that. We'll just have to do it while he's still asleep."

"Perfect…"

(**Meanwhile…**)

The low-fuel alarm woke Krystal from her sleep as she neared her final destination just in time for her to see the planet in the distance. It had been a while since she'd seen it there, floating majestically amongst the stars. She carefully piloted straight toward it, heart beginning to race. She held her breath as she began to enter the atmosphere.

Power and shield levels were normal.

She watched eagerly as the clouds below became visible and gradually grew closer.

Then her engine died.

She gasped. "No… come on, we're too high!" she cried, trying to reset the power. No response.

She fumbled for her staff, and then pressed the emergency eject button. She tensed, waiting for her seat to launch into the air.

Nothing happened. She pressed it again.

Still nothing.

"No…" She pressed it again. "No!" She cried, jabbing it several times. "No!! Jxak!" It wasn't like her to swear, but the situation seemed to call for it.

She pulled hard on the release lever on the right side of the cockpit glass. It clicked. Then she opened the one on the left, and shoved upward on the glass. It opened an inch before the wind sucked it shut. She cried out in despair, suddenly afraid that she would end up crushed in her ship… dead before she even landed.

In a last ditch effort, she held her staff up horizontally and extended it. The two ends smashed through the glass, shattering it. She shortened the weapon and carefully crawled onto the highest part of the falling ship. She had seconds to spare.

Just as the nose of the ship came to the level of the highest tree, she jumped.

The arwing crashed into the ground and the engine exploded.

Krystal spun in the air and extended her staff. She finished her spin by jabbing it into a tree. Then she held onto it for dear life as it broke her fall by only a few feet.

Taking a deep breath, she shimmied closer to the tree and pushed off of it with her feet. The staff dislodged and she landed gracefully six feet below.

She used her staff's Freeze Blast to put out the fire on the arwing, and took out the few things she needed; her blaster, a few items of emergency food, a first-aid kit, and her old Cerinian clothes.

She aimed her blaster at a tree and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. She sighed and put it back into the arwing.

Looking around, she realized that she knew exactly where she was.

And for the first time in far too long, she was home.

(**Meanwhile…**)

Katt and Falco sat quietly on the bridge.

"What if he wakes up while we're down there?" Falco asked suddenly.

Katt looked up. "Well…how about you stay here and put a dose of knock out gas through his vent every hour. I can find the site myself."

"What if it's gone?"

"Well… I'll ask one of the dinosaurs if they know what happened or if there're more rocks. I'm almost positive there are some on Sauria."

"Alright…but knock out gas? Isn't that like… mutiny or something?"

"No. We're not really taking over the ship. We're just making an extra stop… and if anyone has anything to say about it, then we'll tie them up and maroon them on the planet."

Falco raised his eyebrows.

"I'm kidding. But this is necessary for Fox's life. Peppy and Slippy will understand."

"I hope you're right…" Falco said.

"I'm always right."

Krystal walked silently across the soft warm sand on the beach. She'd found a pair of her old Cerinian clothes inside of her house, and put them on. She walked barefoot at the edge of the waves, enjoying the calming scenery. She idly twirled her staff in her right hand, holding it over the water as she walked.

The sun was falling at her right into a lovely pool of colors that blended together in a brilliant scene of iridescence that reflected off of the ocean. The sun itself had turned a deep red-orange as it kissed the edge of the sea's horizon. The mountains beyond the forest to her left had darkened to violet and black. The jungle had silenced, as if it had stopped to watch the evanescent sunset in all of its glory.

Krystal took her staff in both hands and spun in about in the calming dance that had been made to celebrate life in the evenings. Normally, the women danced with long wooden poles, but Krystal danced with the moment. She spun and jumped and twirled about as gracefully as a ballerina as the waves of the ocean and the beating of her heart provided her rhythm.

Then she did her own dance, combining several to make a new creation. She hummed softly the tune of a melody she'd once heard a CloudRunner sing before; it was a romantic song that stirred love in one's heart. She wasn't sure why she'd suddenly decided to hum that particular tune… She hummed it anyway, thinking it a beautiful melody though she did not know the words.

A twig snapped in the nearby woods, and Krystal whipped around to face the direction the sound had come. She stared into the shadowy haze beyond the first tree, heart palpitating and mind racing for an explanation.

A low growl reached her sensitive ears. She readied her staff, aiming at the trees and keeping her breath steady. She though she heard a gasp, but the creature that leapt out at her instantly captured her attention.

TreeClinger.

She dodged to the side as it lunged at her with an open mouth filled with sharp, white teeth. She thrust out her staff and stabbed it in the heart.

It collapsed to the ground, and then she withdrew the tip of her weapon.

She looked around, thinking. _TreeClingers never attack unless they're provoked…_ She thought. _But what could've scared it?_

She looked across the ocean at the setting sun in its brilliant red haze. It was almost dark… she would have to hide indoors for the night. Her old house would do fine. She headed into the woods and back to the deserted village.

(**Several hours later**)

"We've reached Sauria." Falco announced.

"Alright. I'm going down. I'll have my comm on, so contact me if there's trouble." Katt said. She walked through the doors and into the docking bay.

"Are you sure this is best?" Slippy asked.

"Fox hasn't been thinking too clearly lately. We just have to figure out how to keep him alive. Then he can go. It's our duty to him as his teammates." Falco explained.

Slippy humped and walked off the bridge.

Falco sighed. Something about what he was going seemed wrong, but it was the only alternative to Fox's death. Katt would take some equipment that was powered by the rocks, analyze the plants and things on the surface of Cerinia, and figure out why only the Cerinians were surviving. Then they would equip Fox accordingly and he would go in an arwing powered by the rocks. Therefore, not only would he survive, he would be able to return when he wanted. Provided Katt even found the rocks… If she couldn't find them, then they would have a-…

Pain exploded in a flash of white through Falco's skull. He reached out as he fell from the chair, head throbbing from what had to be an intentional blow from behind.

He had no time to react before he lost consciousness on the floor.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: I've come up with another code. This…from what I can tell so far… is probably one of the biggest plot twists in the story. It should be the last major plot twist until the end, but… then again, knowing me…

_Vivian:_ Oh, you'll find a way.

_Me: _Precisely my thoughts. I could surprise myself and not do anything, but there might be another plot twist squished in there before the end. Anyway, here's the twist… if you can crack this assortment of codes, then congrats to you. I will title the first person to crack the code _Genius of the Codes_. Good luck.

3 5 22 (space) 2 9 15 17

Oh, yeah. And for those of you who can't translate Saurian…

+3 +10 +3 +2 +0 -10 +2


	43. Chapter 43: The Great Pursuit

**Chapter 43**

Fox stood over Falco's limp body. From the way he'd fallen, it occurred to him that he might've struck too hard and killed the bird… but his pulse was strong and he was breathing.

What Falco didn't know was that with a code and a secretly installed security system, anyone who knew the code could be in the captain's room and listen in on everything going on in the bridge.

He simply couldn't afford a delay, and what they were planning would take too long. The fact that all of the foreigners had died on the planet seemed far away; he couldn't die. Not after all he'd been through.

He set the ship to manual control and waited for Katt's signal to show that she'd landed. Then he steered the Great Fox away from Sauria and along its orbital path. Cerinia was close… he could feel it calling too him.

Suddenly, there it was, growing closer in the distance.

It took several lengthy minutes to settle into orbit around the majestic planet. Fox locked the Great Fox into auto-pilot mode once again and took another glance around the bridge. Then he picked up the blaster he'd struck Falco with and entered the docking bay.

He fueled his arwing enough for the descent and a possible return trip, and then he opened the cockpit.

"Stop!" A voice called.

Fox turned and looked at Falco, who'd apparently just regained consciousness.

"I can't let you go, Fox."

"I have to help Krystal."

"You can wait. You have to wait. You'll die."

"I don't care."

"You will."

"I have to go to her!"

"You'll care as you lay dying in her arms, watching her cry helplessly as she watches you suffer. You'll care when you see the fear in her eyes as she loses you."

Fox clenched his jaw. "You can't stop me!" He opened the cockpit.

"Don't do it, James."

Fox froze. Every muscle in his body tensed in anger. "Don't call me that…" He muttered through clenched teeth.

"But that's your name… James… McCloud… Junior."

"Stop it."

"I suppose you do have a right to hate a name you'll never live up to. You'll never even be half the man your father was, even if he was a lazy, half witted-…"

Fox let out an angry roar as he rushed at Falco. He plowed into the avian and tackled him to the ground before he began to strike him. Falco covered his face with his arms for the first few blows, and then he delivered a smashing punch to Fox's jaw.

The vulpine was thrown backward and he lay on the ground for a moment while his lower lip bled onto his chin. Then he picked himself off the floor.

"Snap out of it!" Falco yelled. "This isn't you! The Fox I know would never risk his whole team for the possible danger of one girl on a planet that will kill you if you go."

"She's part of the team too. I won't leave without her!"

"But you'll abandon Katt on Sauria. You'll give me a damn concussion and leave the whole team in pieces."

"You can't control what I do."

"What about your father? What would he say to your suicide mission?"

"He died in a battle he knew he couldn't win. Why should I do any different…?"

"Can't you just wait for us to figure this out?"

"There isn't time! Krystal could already be dead… or worse!"

"Think about this for a minute… just think! Think about what you're giving up for her. Without a leader, there is no team. Without a team, Corneria is relatively unprotected. Once Venom learns that their only worthy adversaries are gone, you know as well as anyone that they'll wreck havoc on our unprotected world. Millions will die, Fox. Millions. For the _possible _danger of one girl."

"You take over. You be the leader, then."

"I can't take that responsibility, Fox. I can't run this team. I'm not skilled enough, smart enough, or responsible enough. I'll never have the strong sense of responsibility you have. You're our leader, Fox. You can't leave us."

"Watch me." Fox turned and ran for his arwing.

"_FOX_!!" Falco bellowed. "_DON'T DO IT_!!"

But he was already flying out of the docking bay.

(**Cerinia, 9:32 p.m.**)

Krystal sat quietly with her knees pulled to her chest and watched the fire she'd built in the old fireplace of her home. The sun had set, and it was dark outside. Darkness drew the nocturnal predators from their homes, and they hunted in the night. But the houses the Cerinians had built were strong, and they kept unwanted visitors at bay.

She lay back on the mat in front of the fire and closed her eyes, and soon she was asleep.

It seemed only a few minutes before a yell in the distance woke her.

She sat up with a start. The fire had burned out. Was it only her imagination, or had someone really been screaming?

She cautiously opened the door. The sun wasn't quite up, but the sky was light enough to see. Krystal guessed the time to be somewhere around five thirty in the morning. She grabbed her staff and ventured outside. There was no sound now. She reached out with her mind, but could sense no one.

A dark cloud rose into the sky from the forest. But it wasn't a rain cloud, it was smoke.

A FireBreath?

No. They wouldn't have caused a cloud that large.

Krystal ran toward it at a jog, and then she began to run full speed. Nothing was going to burn down her jungle.

Thick smoke clouded the trees as she drew closer. She extended her staff and approached more cautiously. Small embers and ashes floated in the air. She headed directly into the smoke, coughing several times.

She put out the small flames on several trees, and could tell she was getting close.

Then, she saw it. A small meteor of some sort, on fire and lying at the end of the path of its descent. Her staff's energy gave out as she finished dousing the fire. She would have to refill it later.

The meteor had an odd shape, almost like…

Now that she thought about it, the meteor had the look of a thrashed arwing without wings. The thought was preposterous, of course. It was too crumpled to be an arwing. Besides, there would've been a pilot nearby.

Krystal headed back out of the smoke and into the fresh air.

She couldn't help wondering if she'd really heard someone yell, or if it was a dream… she pondered over it as she walked aimlessly back toward the village. Then she steered her thoughts to the four mile journey to the temple. She would go today and see if she could find some answers.

A nearby _thump_ jolted her heart into a fast beat, and she froze to listen.

There it was again!

Only now that she listened more carefully, it wasn't a simple _thump_. It was the sound of a large foot dropping to the ground and crushing leaves and twigs and whatnot below it. From the intensity of the _thump_, the foot had to be carrying a good two tons on top of it. Which could only mean there was another two tons on the other foot; provided whateveritwas had two feet and not one or four.

But the only four ton creature was-…

_GGRRRROOOOAAAAHHHHRRR!!!!_

The roar thundered through the trees, shaking their leaves and branches and striking fear into Krystal's heart. Her fears were confirmed…

Only one creature could roar in that manner…

RedEye.

(**Cerinia, 2:47 a.m.**)

As soon as the arwing had crashed, Fox knew he was in trouble. He clung to the tree branch high off the ground for dear life, studying the fall below.

His ship was on fire. That wasn't good… His blaster was there, along with the fact that if he couldn't rebuild the ship, he was stuck.

It suddenly occurred to him for the second time since he'd entered the atmosphere that this wasn't such a good idea after all.

But now it was too late.

There was no way he could climb down the tree. He opted for falling. He took a deep breath and let go of the branch. He didn't even have time to cry out before he hit the ground. He landed awkwardly on his hands, facedown. As he attempted to get up, an objecting throb ran along his right arm from his wrist.

It was painful to touch. He sighed, figuring he'd broken it from the way it was hurting. He got up, favoring his right arm, and looked around. It was dark.

His arwing was ablaze and giving off smoke several feet away. No chance of recovering anything… He stood for a few minutes, wondering what to do first.

The air was warm enough without a fire, and he realized now why Krystal's Cerinian clothes revealed so much. First thing to do would be to cool off. There was nothing he could do about his burning arwing besides hope it would burn out in the humid air.

He walked in the direction he'd seen the ocean on his entry, hoping his sense of direction was leading him correctly.

He found it after several minutes, only a few yards from the trees.

Then he took off his shoes and waded in to his waist. Any higher and it would reach his bandage.

The technology that had created the healing patch wasn't electronic, to Fox's relief. It was a mixture of chemicals, plant parts and oils that 'naturally' sped up the body's healing process. It worked wonders on deep wounds such as his.

Though it had been only two days, his injuries were almost healed. However, he still did not feel safe enough to wet the bandage or take it off for at least another six hours.

He dipped his left hand into the cool water and splashed some on his neck, and let his right hand rest beneath the surface to calm the irritation somewhat.

The sky had lightened nearly a shade, and a few of the dimmest stars had vanished.

Fox estimated it to be somewhere around four o'clock.

He coughed at something that tickled his throat, and then waded out of the water. He replaced his shoes and hung his vest on a tree, thinking he'd return for it later if it cooled down at all.

Then he walked along the beach, with the forest at his right. The thicker air was easier to breathe than Corneria's atmosphere; or even Sauria's fair oxygen.

It was cleaner, for sure, except for the small area in which he'd crashed.

He'd hung for a while in the tree, half conscious from the way the branch had caught him in the gut. It had knocked the wind out of him and caused a great deal of pain, and all he could do was cling there until his head had cleared. He guessed in that time he had breathed a lot of smoke, which explained his coughing.

After walking for nearly a mile, he came to a dead creature on the sand. It had been stabbed, and it was quite positively a close relative to the LightFoot tribe on Sauria. Its skin was green and brown, patterned like a tree. Otherwise they looked almost the same. This creature was a bit larger than the LightFoot, but they had the same body style and overall shape.

Footprints led into the forest.

Krystal's footprints.

Fox followed her trail several feet into the thicket, where it became difficult to see. The trail ended, or so it seemed in the dim light. Fox sat down against a tree and looked up at the sky.

It was gradually growing lighter. He guessed that an hour had gone by.

Something moved against his back.

He leapt up, startled.

Only the tree was there.

"Calm down… you're imagining things." He told himself.

A small yellow oval with a black slit that sliced it clean in half appeared on the tree. Fox leaned closer to examine it.

It blinked.

He jumped back with a yelp.

A head nearly identical to the creature on the beach leaned out from the tree and growled at him, revealing a set of sharp teeth.

He gasped.

The creature climbed off the tree, standing nearly twice his height, and snarled at him.

Fox yelped and bolted the opposite direction.

By the footsteps behind him, the creature was following.

And it was gaining on him.

Fox ducked as a large object dove at him from the right.

_HOOOOAAAARRRRCH!!_

It roared just before it literally bit the head off of the creature that had been chasing him. Fox stood wide-eyed at this new monster. It was easily four times his height, and its head was twice the size of the puny tree clinging creature. It bit into the stomach of the dead animal and ripped off a chunk of flesh to chew on.

Fox slowly stepped backward, horrified.

_Snap!_

His foot landed on a dry twig. He winced.

The large creature turned toward him, growling. It opened its mouth and spat a long trail of fire toward Fox.

He dove to his right and rolled, barely out of reach.

_CRUNCH!!_

The sound of bones snapping under pressure reached his ears.

He turned around and stared open mouthed at a humongous RedEye.

It stood hunched over as it chewed on the creature that had breathed out fire, shaking it back and forth like Tricky had once done with his toy ball.

Fox's face paled and his body forgot how to move. His brain failed to acknowledge that he possessed such things as muscles and legs. All he could do was stand in horror as the RedEye chewed on the creature.

Even the king on Sauria wasn't quite as large as this monster. One of its teeth was almost half the size of Fox. It threw the fire-breathing chew toy into the air and caught half of its body in its mouth. Several loud crunches and two gulps, and there was no fire-breathing creature anymore.

Fox forgot to breathe as it turned and looked at him with a large, orange eye.

Then, to the vulpine's horror, it stepped toward him and leaned over, placing its nose directly in front of Fox.

The vulpine's heart nearly ceased. His full height barely brought him to the top of the monster's muzzle when its chin was on the ground.

It inhaled, and then snorted, throwing Fox to the ground with the force of its breath.

He landed on his right arm and cried out in pain, as if the force of his cry could take away the throbbing in his wrist. The RedEye snapped its head up in surprise, but it did not show any sign of anger or offensiveness.

Fox scrambled to his feet and ran as fast as they would carry him away from the dreadful monster. Although it didn't follow him, he continued to run until he was overtaken by a fit of coughing several minutes later.

He reached out toward a tree, but shied away at the last second. He knew better, now… He collapsed onto the ground and panted for several moments. He continued to cough a few times, but eventually he could breathe normally.

When he stood up, he knew he was lost. The sky continued to lighten, but that couldn't help him. He didn't know where he was, much less where to go or how to get there. He turned around, looking at the trees around him. Pity he hadn't paid attention to where he was going in his hurried escape…

He decided to pick a random direction and travel that way. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and spun in a circle.

"What… _are_ you doing?" A feminine voice asked in a sarcastic tone.

He gasped in surprise and whipped around to face Vivian. "What're…what…I…?" He stammered.

"This is my planet. You were a fool to come. Didn't Krystal tell you you'll die?" She asked.

"Obviously I'm not dead, and I feel fine. I have to find her."

"She's here?"

"As far as I know."

Vivian pondered for a moment. "She'll be at the village, then."

Fox cleared his throat with a cough.

"You're coughing…"

"I inhaled smoke when I crash landed." He justified.

"They always cough, first. That means you've only got about twenty hours to live. You know that, right?"

"I didn't come this far to die! Isn't there some kind of cure?"

Vivian shrugged. "All I know is that Cerinians don't get it. Once you start coughing, it's too late. There's no way off the planet to _find _a cure, and no way to use instruments here to find out what it is in the first place."

Fox looked down. "How long do I have?"

"How long have you been here?" She inquired.

"Only a couple hours. Five, maybe. Max."

"Then you've got a maximum of seven hours before the rest of the symptoms kick in. You'll be dead in less than twenty hours." She said. "You know you…really shouldn't have come."

"I have to get this information to Krystal. Her life may depend on it."

Vivian sighed. "I'll take you to the village. It's this way." She turned and walked west. Fox followed.

"Why are _you_ here?" He asked.

"I followed Tony. He's around here somewhere, up to no good." She looked down.

"Great…"

"I think Connor's here, but then again that might've been you landing."

"I…didn't exactly…land…I kind of…dive-bombed the forest…"

Vivian smiled. "That's the typical landing here. You can't really avoid it unless you have the rocks to power your ship. They're the only power source that'll work."

"Like that blue rock that Krystal had?" Fox asked.

"Yeah. That one was different, though…"

"Whaddaya mean?"

"Well…It's unusually powerful… The more power you take, the more powerful it gets, rather than dying out after a while. Unfortunately, I have no clue where it is… Cerinia's power source is pretty hard to find, unlike on Sauria. And even if you found it, you don't have a ship to use to pilot away."

"Then how did you escape? And Connor, Katt, Tony, Kevin, and Krystal?" Fox asked.

"Katt stole Kevin's ship. Tony and I had been working on one for a while, but-…"

_GGRRRROOOOAAAAHHHHRRRR!!!!!!!!_

They both froze at the sound of the dreadful roar.

"RedEye…" Vivian muttered.

A scream followed several seconds after it.

"Krystal!" Fox cried. He ran toward the sound as fast as he could.

"No, Fox! Wait!" Vivian cried. She groaned in exasperation and ran after him, into the woods.

**

* * *

**

**Author's Notes: **Another chapter closer to the end, another secret revealed…to me, that is. Oddly enough I had no clue how this would end when I started… but now I have just found out myself why other people die on Cerinia, and why no electronics work, and why Krystal has to endure her tests at the temple… All nice little presents you shall find in future chapters.

Ah yes. Code cracker award and such is tied between three people. Winners will be announced...

Enjoy.

_Vivian_: Enjoy what, waiting for you NOT to update anything?

_Me_: No, enjoy reading a long awaited chapter and figuring out secrets I didn't even know!

_Vivian_: Well you know them now so what's the point?

_Me_: Is there a point to your arguing? Other than to annoy me and take up my time when I could be finishing the next chapter?

_Vivian_: Well you know……you could…oh blast it you made me forget what I was going to say…

_Me_: Which… was my intention all along! Of course! … what?

_Vivian_: (-sigh-) whatever… while you enjoy your wait, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Birthday, Happy Fourth of July, Happy…

_Me_: It's not going to take that long! Goodness, woman! I'll at least have another one up by Christmas.

_Vivian_: (-leaves muttering something about luck and a secret plot to murder the author-)

_Me_: Anyway, now that that's done, Happy Thanksgiving, I will see you next year! (-cough-) time…yeah…that…v.v


	44. Chapter 44: The Guardians

**Chapter 44**

Vivian reached out and grabbed Fox's arm. "Fox, slow down! She has protection. You don't. Unless you want to become the RedEye's next snack, along with your information, I suggest you slow down and think."

He pulled away. "I think while I run!" He snapped, resuming his hurried rush toward Krystal.

Vivian groaned, running after him. "You're the stupidest damn intelligent creature in the universe, you know that!?" She yelled.

He didn't care.

They both stopped short as they came upon the scene; Krystal, on the ground, holding a shield above her, and the RedEye above, looking as though he would just eat her tiny shield…and her with it.

Krystal slowly stood up, enlarging her shield so that the RedEye wouldn't be able to get his mouth over it. She had to think fast. Any minute it would start pounding on her force-field, and then she was finished. She had to act while her energy was still strong…

She gasped as the RedEye's huge head came crashing down against her shield. She grunted as her energy was drained to support it.

Another hit like that, and she would be defenseless. Her staff lay four feet away on the ground, just out of reach and also drained of power. She hurled a force of blue energy at the RedEye and dove for her weapon. She kneeled and held it above her to make its impenetrable force-field.

It would hold out indefinitely, but eventually she would have to get away from this monster. She ducked and closed her eyes as it lunged at her. The staff's shield warped around the RedEye's face and let its momentum carry it clear over the little turquoise barrier. It fell on the ground, stunned. Krystal stood up, holding her staff in a defensive position, and walked toward it.

As she raised the weapon above her head to deliver a final blow, the RedEye jerked and the top of its head smashed into the vixen, throwing her to the ground several feet away. She winced as she slowly got to her hands and knees to catch her breath.

She barely had the time to reach out her hand and make a shield before the RedEye's head came crashing into it.

The shield broke like a soap bubble pricked by a needle.

Krystal gasped softly as her world faded to black.

"_NNNOOOOHHH!!!_" A voice yelled.

For a moment Fox thought he was hearing himself, but his body had seized in horror and his voice couldn't possibly have exerted a yell like that in its present state.

A blue flash from the right hit the RedEye, momentarily distracting him from the unconscious blue vixen.

"_LEAVE HER ALONE!!! _You son of a bitch!"

"Connor." Vivian muttered. "Quick, while he distracts it, we'll grab Krystal and make a run for it."

The RedEye turned back to Krystal, and another blue flash hit the side of its face. It roared and turned toward Connor. Then it took a step for him and away from Krystal.

"Ready…" Vivian said quietly. It took another step. "Now!" She snapped in a whisper.

The two of them ran to Krystal, and Fox scooped her into his arms. "I got her, go!" He said.

Vivian ran into the forest with Fox close on her heels.

Connor threw more energy at the RedEye, focusing on its face. If he could manage one direct hit to its eye, he could escape.

He hoped Vivian and Fox could handle Krystal…

He threw a well aimed blast, and the RedEye roared in pain. Then Connor ran as fast as he could away from it, in the opposite direction of Fox and Vivian. The RedEye didn't follow.

Mission accomplished.

He slowed down and headed toward the village at a walk. It didn't take long to reach it. With the sun rising slowly, the light would keep most of the nocturnal creatures away.

He sighed, scanning the houses. Everything looked almost the same as when he'd left, save for the smoke from the forest.

Even though the meteorite had nearly decayed to nothing, the small crater and ditch had remained.

Small was perhaps an understatement. The meteor itself was the size of a small house. However, compared to the crater the temple rested in, this one was tiny.

It had crushed seven of the forty-three houses in the village, leaving three of those seven smashed clean in half. The other half of them still remained.

It was right smack in the center of the village, but one could overlook it if they lived near the outskirts.

Connor turned toward the mountains, where the morning sun was just peaking over the lowest peak in the distance.

He smiled at the scene. It had been so long since he'd laid eyes on a brilliant Cerinian sunrise… He looked at the sky, studying the wispy multi-shaded clouds of pink, grey, and purple.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Connor started at the voice, and glared at its owner. "Why are _you_ here?"

"Same reason as you… because Krystal is here."

"You know what will happen if she doesn't do this. The Guardians won't have mercy on us if we fail."

"Yes, but you see, the Guardians don't control anything beyond this planet. If my plan works, we can control the universe. Even they won't be able to stop me."

"They can kill you."

"And what makes you think they won't do the same to you, brother?"

Connor sighed. "I've done my best to do what they asked. At least I know I've made the right choice."

"The choice to be a puppet to those…_things_!? If they're so powerful, why do they need us? Can't they just snap their fingers and make it all right?"

Connor didn't reply, having no suitable answer.

"See this?" Tony turned and held out his arm, gesturing toward the village.

Connor gasped at the scene before him. All of the Cerinians were there, wandering about as if nothing were out of the ordinary. None of them seemed to notice the two brothers standing amidst them and arguing. "What the…"

"This is where the Guardians are wasting their power, trying to sustain their lives. Daytime is when we can bring them down."

"No! I can't let you do that!" Connor cried. "This isn't a game, Tony. If they die, who knows what will happen?"

Tony's eyes widened. "My god… it's father!" He cried, staring beyond his brother.

"What?!" Connor turned around. Pain erupted in the back of his skull, and he lost consciousness.

"I'm sorry, dear brother, but I can't let you get in my way."

(**Meanwhile, beneath the surface of Cerinia…**)

Takkah, Ramiro, and Krin sat together in a circle, discussing their fate and that of the planet above them.

"Our own trusted friends are plotting against us." Takkah said, an annoyed and slightly betrayed look on his black-furred face.

"Have you forgotten your own power? Theirs are gone. They have nothing against us." Krin argued, twirling a strand of her long silver hair in her delicate fingers.

Ramiro let out an exasperated sigh. "Do not be so sure of yourself, Krin. Our power grows weaker for every day we sustain the souls of the Cerinians. It's only a matter of time before they figure it out. They have only to find our fortress and we are done for."

"Then so are they. We're the only reason they even exist. We were the ones who kept Sauria from becoming a supernova and destroying Lylat. And without us, Cerinia wouldn't even exist."

"Yes, but they don't know that. They think they'll accomplish some great thing by destroying us." Takkah said. His tail twitched nervously.

"Then let us lock them up for a thousand years to let them re-think their loyalties." Krin suggested.

"We cannot afford to. The strain on our powers is already far too great. They are the only ones who can save us." Ramiro said. His golden eyes that matched his silky fur were soft and kind.

"They're the only ones who can save us, but they are planning our downfall. So the fate of the world rests in the hands of the three most stubborn incompetent fools-…"

"Easy, Takkah." Krin warned, placing her white furred hand on his contrasting black arm. "It was we who created them in the first place."

"But we made them for good!" He cried, rising to his feet in emphasis. "This wasn't supposed to happen!"

Ramiro stood as well. "Takkah! Do not waste your energy in fruitless anger. They will not destroy us. Vivian and Connor are still for us, even if Tony has chosen a different path. We cannot change their minds for them. Krystal does not yet know the dangers of the temple. They are the only ones who can tell her."

"Then they're the only ones who can save us…" Takkah replied to the golden furred fox.

"You've already said that, Ramiro. And we know it as well as you. But…I know something… something you should." Krin said, looking up at the two males with a mischievous grin.

They turned to her, suddenly interested.

She just smiled, letting them ponder for a moment what she could possibly know.

"Well? Get on with it!" The black fennec urged.

Krin took a deep breath. "Well…Fox knows." She said, grinning as if she had just revealed the secrets of the world while her two companions gave her blank stares.

"Which fox?" Takkah asked.

"James McCloud Junior, also known as Fox McCloud." She said, annoyed at their ignorance. "The one who helped us rid the world of Scales and his filth."

"He knows what? Of our fortress!?" Takkah cried, eyes widening and muscles tensing.

"No!" Krin snapped. "He knows Krystal's mission! Tony meant to murder him, and he told him about the temple." She smirked. Her gift often came in handy for aiding their work.

Ramiro stared blankly into the distance. "He dies… he dies of the poison." He muttered.

Krin leapt to her feet. "Then let's destroy it!" She cried. "He can't die! She loves him!"

"Oh, stop being such a girl." Takkah scolded.

"You scold me for being what I am?" She turned to Ramiro. "Can we not spare just a little energy? We have to kill those wretched plants before it's too late. If he doesn't get that information to her, she'll die and so will we!"

"Patience, Krin! He will live to tell her. We cannot afford any extra strain. Our energy is limited, you know that. Unless we retrieve the stone, we cannot do anything."

Tears came to the white feline's eyes. "No! We can't let him die!"

"If I didn't know better, Krin, I'd think you have feelings for that pitiful mortal." Takkah smirked.

"We were mortal, once… and we still are if one damned renegade can kill us."

"They all die in less than a century, and we have been alive for over a thousand years. Normal sicknesses and ailments can't harm us. I think that's close enough to immortal."

"Then why don't you save Fox?" Krin snapped.

"I said immortal, not omnipotent!" Takkah cried.

"For Cerinia's sake, stop this pointless arguing!" Ramiro interrupted. "This is not helping anything. There is nothing we can do but wait. Fox will die. Unfortunately, there is no way we can stop it. Krystal must go on without him. She is the only one who can open the portal."

"She won't want to go on without him…" Krin spoke softly.

"She has to! She'll do it if I have to go up there myself and _make_ her do it!" Takkah snapped.

"We cannot leave, Takkah… You know that."

The fennec sighed. "I know, I know… Once I step outside, my immortality will cease and I'll die on the spot from everything its kept away." He said with a mocking tone.

Krin shrugged. "Instant death… I suppose it makes a fine backup plan if plan A goes wrong."

"And just what _is_ plan A?" Takkah asked.

"Send Krystal through the portal, reset time itself, save the universe from destruction… did you forget that if the FireBreath or the TreeClinger get in here, they'll wreak havoc and destroy the universe?"

"Not the universe, just Lylat."

"Close enough! Trillions and trillions of creatures live in Lylat. If Lylat is gone, the only thing to stop Venom from growing and taking over millions of Galaxies and the possible universe would be… oh, that's right. Absolutely nothing!"

Takkah sighed. "We sit here talking about the possible destruction of the universe, and yet we do nothing. Some guardians we are…"

Krin sighed as well; a wistful sigh. "There's nothing we _can_ do, besides wait until nightfall. But by then it might be too late."

"By midnight, Fox will be gone. It will be too late to save him even at dusk." Ramiro said. "Krystal will go to the temple tomorrow."

"You're straining yourself, Ramiro. We could've predicted that without you using your energy." Takkah scolded.

Krin gasped.

"What is it?" The fennec asked.

"It's almost daybreak!"

"Prepare to join our energy." Ramiro said, holding his right hand out in the center of their circle, palm facing center.

Takkah and Krin followed suit. They closed their eyes and focused. A white beam with a slight blue tint enveloped the trio from the center of their palms.

The light grew brighter and brighter, until the entire room was white. If someone had happened to come into the room at that moment, even only for a split second, they'd have been struck blind.

And if anyone else had happened along the beach at that minute, they'd have noticed a peculiar glow from beneath the waters.

The light vanished, and the three Guardians fell to their knees in weakness. Ramiro collapsed completely, unconscious.

Krin and Takkah crawled over to him. "This is the third time he's done that." Krin said.

"Even with our day of regenerating he still passed out."

Krin shook her head. "This can't be a good thing…what if he dies?"

Takkah looked down. "If he dies, then…" He shrugged. "All is lost."

Krin winced.

"Don't look so pained, Krin. He's strong. He may be ten years older than us, but-…"

"No, it's… It's Connor… he's in trouble…"

"What!? What happened?"

"I don't know, I… I can't see."

"Is it one of the creatures, or…"

"It's Tony! He's knocked him out…" Her eyes widened. "I lost it… I can't see them…"

"Try, Krin!"

"I can't! I'm too weak…"

"We cannot lose Connor. If Connor dies, then so will Tony. And we cannot bring them both back." Ramiro said, slowly sitting up from the floor.

"Ramiro…What's going on? What's going to happen?" Takkah asked.

The elder fox closed his eyes. "It's alright…he'll be fine…I see him in Krystal's future. It is a shame I cannot use my gift on them."

"You forgot, they were once like us. They still possess the ability to counteract ours." Krin said.

"I could never forget that, Krin…"

"If only Vivian knew! Then we would have twice the chance of Krystal knowing." She said. "Does she find out?"

Ramiro concentrated. "I cannot tell… I am too weak to see that far."

"I could tell her!" Takkah offered.

"Oh, no, Takkah! Remember how terrible it turned out the last two times you tried to tell her something? The first time you got it completely wrong, and the second time you almost killed not only her but several others!" Krin cried.

"Only because she was so far away. She's right there! I can practically talk right to her!"

"No. Give Fox a chance first. If he fails, and Connor has not returned by then, then we will have no other choice… But not while we have other…safer…options."

Takkah scoffed and paced a few steps, his dark eyes filled with hurt and anger.

Krin's soft blue eyes looked at him with pity. "It's not your fault, Takkah. Accidents happen, you know? It's just that we can't afford to take risks."

"Isn't that we we've been doing?"

"Enough!" Ramiro interrupted. "This bickering is not getting us anywhere. There is nothing we can do at present but wait."

Takkah sighed, shaking his head as he walked from the room. "For what, a miracle?"

Ramiro sighed. "That is all we can hope for…"

----

**Author's Notes: **DEAR GOODNESS I'M LATE. I deeply apologize for this, I've had a hell of a lot of things going on lately, and this would have been up sooner had I known that is not compatible with an iPod Touch... .

Oh, yes… last time, I did forget to post this and I apologize. The award for whoever cracked the code was tied between three people:

Reaper739 - Genius of the Codes

Baeowulf - Decoder

Artistic Tuba - Code Cracker Master

Congratulations to the three of you. I had to really think for three different names for that…

Oh, yes. Again, I apologize for being late, I'd like to wish you all an extremely belated Happy New Year! :D

_Vivian_: Yes, because next year is the next time you will see us.

_Me_: Um… if you haven't noticed, it _is_ next year.

_Vivian_: It's this year, honey. Been this year as long as time existed.

_Me_: 0_o …did she just call me…'honey?'

_Krin_: Yes, she did.

_Me_: 0_0

_Vivian_: At this rate you might finish this thing by next new years…_Honey._

_Me_: e.e

_Krin_: Should we tell them that-… (-dive tackled by Vivian-)

_Vivian_: _NOOOOOOO!!!!! SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP YOU'RE GONNA GIVE IT AWAY!!!!!_

_Me_: Calm down! She's not that stupid…

_Krin_: …(-pain…-) goddamn you Vivian...

_Vivian_: Want me to do it again!?

_Me: _VIVIAN! So help me if you two don't stop fighting I'll erase you from existence.

_Both_: (-standing up straight like soldiers-) YES SIR!

_Me_: I don't appreciate the sarcasm. e.e Better than fighting, I suppose... anyway. Next chapter shall be up. (-lights fade, mumbling heard as screen fades to black-) _did you guys seriously just call me 'sir'?_


	45. Chapter 45: Reunion

**Chapter 45**

Katt Monroe piloted her compact size personally modified pink arwing to the surface of Sauria. She flew past ThornTail Hollow, looking through her cockpit window at the many dinosaurs below. Something in her gut felt wrong. Something bad was going to happen... She hit the accelerator and zoomed ahead, flying low over LightFoot Village and slowing as she reached the beautiful beach of Cape Claw.

This was where she'd crashed, all those years ago... She flew past the main area, over the HighTop who stared in wonder at the metallic pink "bird" that flew overhead. There was an Island not far from the beach, and that was where she landed. It was not a particularly large island, it was a smaller one with only a few trees about the middle. It was about the size of a football field, with a more rounded shape. She had landed on the north end, closest to the shore.

It was perhaps ten or eleven yards from the place she had crashed before. She ran more inland, searching the ground for signs of her wreckage. She soon found a piece of a wing, which she picked up to examine. It was gray, and she could see the remaining flakes of the silver paint which Kevin had worked so hard to make for it. She tossed down the scrap and looked around. Thinking she saw something ahead, she ran toward it. Her foot caught on a hard object and she hurtled toward the ground not two steps into her sprint.

"Oof!!" She pushed herself up on her hands and knees and turned with a scowl to the inflicter of her fall. Her scowl vanished. It was a piece of transparent cockpit glass, sticking up a few inches out of the sand. She reached for it and tugged. It didn't budge.

_It must be connected to something under the sand..._ Katt thought. She dug her hands into the sand and began tossing handfuls of it to either side of her. Progress didn't seem to be coming very fast, and time was something she didn't have. She got up and leapt for the piece of wing. Then she began to use it as a shovel, pushing the sand back and out of her way. A few minutes later the wing struck something hard. She set it aside and began digging with her hands again, quickly uncovering part of the ships hull.

She sighed in exasperation. _This is going to take forever!_ She thought with despair.

"Hey!" A voice shouted somewhere behind her. She turned around, startled to hear someone there.

"Tricky?" She asked, recognizing the small prince from some photos on the ship's log.

"How did you know my name?" He asked, walking up.

"That's not important. Can you help me?" Katt asked.

"I guess... with what?"

"I'm a friend of Fox McCloud. He told me about you. I need to unbury this ship. There's a rock in here, similar to your spell stones, that could save his life. If I don't find one soon, he could die!"

"Fox might die!?" Tricky wasted no time in rushing to the ship and digging as fast as his short stubby legs would go. He dug on one side and Katt worked on the other. Tricky had one side unburied in the time it had taken Katt to reach the hull.

"Help me! Hurry! If I don't get back soon it could be too late." She said. Tricky ran to the other side and had almost the entire wreckage unburied in only a moment. Katt scrambled around to the sand-filled cockpit and tossed a few handfuls aside. She resorted to extreme panic and tore off part of the ship's hull. The sand spilled out onto her feet. She stepped into the cockpit and looked about for some signs of what she was looking for. The screen was cracked and some of the buttons were missing. She pressed the button to start up the ship's engine. The screen lit up dimly. Cracked and distorted symbols spelled out "Ohheh," which translated to "Error." Katt stepped around the back of the ship, looking for something resembling the engine itself.

"Whoa...what is it?" Tricky asked.

"It's a ship." Katt replied.

"Duh, I know that! I was talking about this! Can I keep it?" Katt walked around to where he was. Part of the ship was missing, and a faint glow emitted from the hole.

"That might be what I'm looking for!" Katt cried. She pulled hard at the part covering the ship. It bent slightly with much resistance. A loud snap was heard, and sparks flew from the hole. Katt shrieked and stepped back. A faint buzzing sound came from the ship as more sparks continued to pour from the hole.

"Oh, no you don't..." With a loud cry, she spun around and threw her heel into the part she had been pulling at. It gave way and broke off. The sparks flew high for a second and then died down. "Thank God for thick rubber boots." She said with a smirk.

The gaping hole in the ship revealed the large white stone she was looking for. It was the size of a PukPuk egg, only white with a crystallized surface. She grabbed the stone and yanked it from its place.

"Wow..." Tricked awed.

"This is what will save Fox's life...thank you Tricky!" She cried.

The prince of the EarthWalkers said nothing and stood in awe of the mesmerizing stone, even as Katt scurried back to her ship an climbed in.

She lifted off the ground and sped through the atmosphere toward space.

As soon as she broke through into the abyss, she knew something was wrong. Falco, or someone, had moved the ship. She turned on her comm and sent a high proirity call through to the Great Fox.

"Katt! My god! Are you okay!?" Falco cried.

"Yea, what the hell happened!?"

"Fox...it might be too late. He came up behind me and knocked me out. I tried to stop him, but..."

"Where is he!?"

"Down on the planet."

"Damn!" She cried, slamming her fist into the dash. "The time change. How long was I gone?" She asked, referring to the change in time between Sauria and Corneria Standard Time.

"Fourteen hours."

"God damnit!" Katt screamed. "I found it. Take the power supply out of one of the arwings. All the fuel cells, the reserve energy pack, everything. I'll be there in less than an hour."

"Okay, but then what?"

"I'll fix it when I get there." She replied. "Katt out." The feline sighed, mind racing. She pressed the boost on her arwing, expending fuel cells and pushing the engine to its limit. Time was valuable... every minute could mean the death of their leader.

_I only hope I'm not too late..._

(**Meanwhile...**)

Krystal slowly regained consciousness. There were voices, speaking harshly somewhere in the back of her mind. Perhaps they were scolding her for leaving her lover behind. Perhaps they were telling her what a fool's mission this was, to go here without a clue of what she was doing or any means of return.

She couldn't quite make out their words...

The voices themselves were familiar, but the throbbing in her skull muted her sense of recognition. Perhaps some random survivor on her planet.

Her head began to clear. She ignored the voices as she tried to make sense of what she was doing. She was on Cerinia... but why was she here, in this place, with a severe headache?

It slowly came back to her...

The RedEye.

The fear.

The pain.

The presence.

Yes, the strange feeling of his presence, just as she had passed out from over exhorting her energy. It was as if she were alone...but then he was there, suddenly, at the edge of her senses. It was the last thing she knew before she passed out. It was almost as if she could still feel him, standing there, close to her... In fact, she could swear it was his presence beside her, not four feet away.

It was almost his voice, too, that was nagging at the back of her mind.

"I'm not dying! Okay!?"

_Dying? Why would you be dying...?_

"You shouldn't have come in the first place!"

_I know that voice..._

"I had to! I had to save her!"

_Save who?_

"You aren't doing her any good by coming straight to your death. You're eyes are already turning, and you've been coughing all day now!"

_Those are the signs of the disease the outsiders all died of...wait. Fox. Vivian...I knew it was her! But if she's talking to...and I'm...Oh no..._

Krystal opened her eyes and bolted upright. Silence. Birds sang in the distance, and the sun fluttered gently through the trees that surrounded her. Silence...no voices. How peaceful to know it was just a-

"Krystal?"

She gasped, turning to the face she dreaded most at that moment.

"Fox!"

"Are...are you o-"

"What are you doing here!? I told you never to come here!" She interrupted.

"I'm sorry."

She stared into his emerald eyes. They had lost some of their rich color, replaced with a dull gray that would soon take them over. Tears came to her eyes. "Why!? Why did you come!?"

"I...I don't know..." He said sadly.

The vixen climbed to her feet angrily. She glanced at her white furred sister, and then back to Fox. "I can't believe you would do this. I specifically told you _not_ to come. I told you not to follow me!"

"I know!"

"So why did you!?"

"I couldn't stay there and wait for you not to come back!"

"I told you to forget me!"

"How can I forget you? How can I forget everything that happened between us!?"

Vivian stepped back slightly, feeling as if she was intruding. "Umm...guys?"

"Find someone else then! Find some other girl to make stupid bets on!"

"I'm gonna go now..." Vivian said, backing slowly away.

"You're not just some stupid girl who can be replaced! I love you more than anything in my whole life!"

"Then why didn't you listen to me!" Krystal snapped.

"I'mna go. Bye!" Vivian turned and walked through the trees, feeling slightly ignored and unacknowledged.

Neither of the two vulpines noticed her departure.

"Because! Do you even know what you're doing!?" Fox cried.

"Yes!"

"Then tell me. What happens when you get to the temple?"

She paused, contemplating her answer as it occurred to her that he was right, and she really had no clue. "Well...well...that's not for you to know." She said, suddenly realizing how foolish that was as a response as she sensed his next reply.

"Tony told me everything. I know what you have to do. That's why I came....I couldn't let you go without knowing and end up killed. I...I love you. I love you so much. And if anything happened to you...." He shook his head. "I'm sorry..."

Krystal was silent, staring blankly into his graying emerald eyes as she began to realize just how much he really loved her. It was a few short moments before she had recovered her thoughts enough to form words. "I...I love you." She said simply, feeling a bit foolish as she thought that a simple 'too' would have fit nicely at the end of her sentence.

Her foolishness was forgotten the instant his lips met hers in a tender kiss. They stared at each other for a few moments. Fox winced a little, his hand reaching across his stomach.

"Fox..? Are... are you okay?" Krystal asked.

He grimaced, doubling over without responding to her question.

"Fox!" She cried in alarm, unsure of what she could do.

He collapsed onto the ground.

"Fox, answer me!" She knelt by him and turned him onto his back. He was unconscious. Tears filled the vixen's eyes. She lifted his upper body onto her lap and stroked his face. "Oh, Fox, what've I done..?"

His pulse was strong, and his breathing was steady. She sat quietly for a short while, staring down at his calmed face between the blurs of tears that trickled down her cheeks and landed on his soft fur.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, she realized she couldn't stay sitting there. Wrapping her arms around his torso, she stood up with some difficulty and began to slowly drag him toward the village. Pulling his weight began to tire her. She stopped and looked around, for the first time realizing that Vivian was gone. Sighing, she picked up Fox again and dragged him into the outskirts of the village.

Hearing a sound, she looked up, but saw nothing. But she cound't shake the feeling like she was being watched. Her telepathy sensed nothing, yet it told her something was near. She could swear she heard voices, whispering quietly all around her. Yet there was no one there. Keeping up her guard, she slowly dragged the unconscious Fox into the village toward her home.

She reached her old house and opened the door, carefully balancing the unconscious Fox against her body. She gently pulled him inside with some effort and laid him on one of the floor mats.

His wrist was slightly swollen with a nasty looking bruise that she hadn't noticed on him before. She kneeled by him and tenderly cradled his arm in her hands, examining his wrist closely. It was definitely swollen. A black and blue bruise darkened the skin over the swollen area.

He stirred slightly and opened his eyes. They were no longer the bright emerald green they had once been. Instead a blue-gray tint had spread over and dulled their color. the very center around the pupil was a light gray and the green was slowly fading.

He winced. "Where...." He muttered weakly.

"Cerinia. You're safe..." Krystal said softly.

He sighed. "I feel so weak..."

"I'm sorry..." She said. "There's nothing I can do to cure you..."

"I know."

She sighed.

"I have to tell you... everything he told me." Fox said, staring into her eyes.

She could feel his pain, emanating around him like poison to her telepathic mind. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Alright..."

(**Meanwhile...**)**  
**

Connor slowly regained consciousness. He was immediately aware of a deep throbbing in his skull, and he reached up to rub his head.

Only his hands didn't move.

They were tied fast behind his back. A gag was fastened securely around his head, and his ankles were chained to the wall.

He was in the back room of an old house on Cerinia, in the darkest corner. Orange sunlight from the setting sun drifted in through a window, lighting the room and deepening shadow in his corner. He struggled to sit up, feeling weak and fatigued. A voice entered his mind from seemingly no where; a powerful voice seeing that his mind block was still up in full strength.

"_You have to find Krystal. She has to continue on to the temple._"

Connor's eyes widened. "Mmmmfffhhh!!!" His words came as a muffled cry through his gag.

"_Oh stop that. You're only going to injure yourself._"

"MMFFFHHFFF!!"

"_Hold still damnit!_"

A white flash appeared from nowhere and sliced past Connor's face at a blinding speed. He hardly had time to blink, let alone think. The gag fell uselessly to the floor. Connor gasped, looking around wildly.

"Who...where are you!?"

"_That's not important but since I already know you will insist until I tell you, my name is Takkah._"

"Takkah....Why does that sound so familiar?"

"_Think it over later but right now you have to act._"

"About _what_!?"

"_Krystal!_"

"What about her." Connor demanded. "Wait...how do you...?"

"_STOP ASKING QUESTIONS. JUST SHUTUP AND LISTEN FOR A MINUTE!!! I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME!!!_" Takkah bellowed.

Connor sighed. "Say what you're gonna say then."

"_Krystal is in danger. Tony is planning something. You have to find her immediately. I don't know what he's planning. Unfortunately, since the Stone is gone our powers have all been weakened considerably and there's nothing we can really do. I'm straining just to tell you this now. You know where she used to live. She is there now with Fox. Let them be, he is dying. But you have to protect her._"

"From Tony. And...how am I supposed to do that?"

"_Take this. And Connor, don't lose it this time. The last one I lended to you is now in Tony's hands. If he gets all of them, I can't help you from there._"

A white flash of light appeared in the center of the room, and as it faded, Connor recognized the shape of a staff. It, like the other six, was identical to Krystal's with the exception of a different colored gem. This staff's gem was purple.

"_My time is up...you must....help her..._" Takkah said weakly.

"What do I do if I can't?" Connor asked.

No response.

He sighed and picked up the staff. He extended it, admiring its beauty, and then shortened it again. Then he walked out of the Cerinian house he was in and looked around to determine his location. He wasn't far from Krystal's old house. So he ran toward it full speed, ignoring the ghostly aparitions around him that seemed to pay him no mind either. He reached her house and stopped short, panting lightly. He looked around, attempting to ignore the spirits around him that were minding their own business. He knelt by the door and listened intently.

"The tests in the temple...they're like the Krazoa tests. There's seven. He said seven... If you fail, you die..." Fox's voice sounded weak and strained.

"What tests?"

"I'm not sure...He didn't explain that much. All I know is that they have something to do with the staffs... there are seven of them."

"Seven!?"

"Yes...all different colors... you have to have them for something. There are traps, all over... he said they would kill you. You have to be on your guard... I would come with you, to protect you..."

"Is that all?" Krystal interrupted. Connor could hear the emotions in her voice. She was scared and sad. He knew she was hurt beyond what she would ever show. After all, she was losing the love of her life. He was dying.

"I...I think..." He grunted lightly. "I think so..."

Krystal wrapped her arms around him, holding back tears. "That's all you came to tell me... you are dying, because you wanted to tell me that..."

"I know... but it might save your life..." His voice was barely audible, almost a whisper.

"Fox..."

"I want you to know... I love you... I mean... you know that, right?"

She nodded. "I love you, aswell, Fox..."

He sighed. A smile tugged at his face. "You're gonna be a hero now, Krystal... your planet...your people... they'll be saved because of you."

She shook her head, tears blurring her vision. "Because of _you_, Fox... if not for you, I wouldn't have made it this far."

He swallowed. "I love...I love you...so much..."

The tears fell freely from her eyes, trailing down her cheeks and leaving wet streaks in her fur. "I love you too..."

"I'm so sorry..."

"No, don't be..."

"I am..."

"I'll find a way... There has to be something that can save you...." Her voice trembled and her tears fell faster.

"It's too late, now..." He said. "You have to be strong...you can do it, I know you can."

"I can't...not without you!"

"You have to... you can't...you haven't come this far....just to stop now. I know..you can do it...I believe in you."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Well, that took longer than expected... I apologize for cutting off kinda in the middle of a conversation there, but if I'd let it keep rolling, this chapter would have been too long and taken nearly another month to be finished.

_Vivian:_ The translation of that is "I'm too lazy to wrap up with a good cliffhanger so I'll just cut off here and hope no one notices."

_Me:_ ...shut up.

_Vivian:_ You know it's true.

_Me:_ ...you're gonna die.

_Vivian: _AHAHAH-wait are you serious? O.O

_Me:_ I'm more serious now than the pain you will feel as you are dying.

_Vivian:_ O.O it..it was a joke! I was kidding!! I swear!! NO PLEASE DON'T KILL ME I'LL BE GOOD!!! O_O

_Me:_ This will be fun.... (-evil grin-) Next chapter up soon, and you will see the REAL reason why I cut out in the middle of this conversation when the rest of it rolls out. :)


	46. Chapter 46: The Hero Never Dies

**Chapter 46**

Tears streamed from the vixen's fur and landed softly on his face. His vision had long been blurred, and the beautiful blue color of her fur was now a dull gray in his eyes. He knew he was dying.

There wasn't much time left.

All he knew was that he might have saved her. He knew he would be in her arms until his final painful breath. He knew she loved him and had forgiven him. And that was all that mattered.

His hearing was fuzzy, but he could hear the sound of her sobs through it all.

"I love you…" She said softly.

He wanted to tell her. He wanted to hold her in his arms and scream it out to the world. "I…." The words were heavy on his mind, and his mouth refused to carry their weight.

"I'm so sorry…It's my fault." She sobbed.

He meekly reached up and took her hand. "No…"

"I'm so sorry…"

"Shhhh…" He whispered soothingly. "No…"

"I…It's all my fault!"

"Shh… come here…" He said, his words coming as a soft whisper.

She looked at him, staring into his sad, gray eyes that had once been full of life and a rich emerald green. "What?" She asked, stifling her sobs the best she could to hear him.

"Come…"

She leaned close to him.

"Listen… This…isn't your fault…"

She shook her head, more tears forming in her blue eyes. "I'm sorry-…" She began.

"No…don't be sorry…you…you did…nothing wrong… This…this was my choice…to save you…"

"You could have…you could have lived…"

"Shh…its okay… all…all you need to know…is that…I…lo…I…I love…you…" He winced, closing his eyes. He was struggling to hold on as the poison in the air ravaged his body.

"You can't leave me!"

"I love you…." He whispered, his grip on her hand softening as he struggled to take another breath.

"Fox!" She cried desperately. "No! You can't…I love you! I love you, please! No…" Sobs shook her body and she lowered her head to rest on his warm chest. She felt him exhale once more, and prayed that he would stay with her just a bit longer.

His warm, comforting presence in her mind was fading fast, something she dreaded more than anything.

Then it was gone.

And so was he.

(**Meanwhile, Cerinia…**)

Connor sat quietly outside the door, listening to her sob. His heart broke more for her with each breath she took and shakily exhaled.

She wailed loudly several times, in mourning for her lost lover. He bit his lip and closed his eyes, fighting the wave of emotions that flowed through him. He would have to fight just a little while longer, and then he would be free…

He kept his eyes closed and tried his best to drown out her cries and the emotions that flooded out to him. It was some time before she finally fell silent, and for a moment he wondered if she had died as well just from grief.

He stood up and opened the door as quietly as possible.

She lay limp on the floor with her head on Fox's chest, curled next to his body.

A rush of tears threatened to burst but Connor swallowed the lump in his throat and focused on what mattered; her.

He gently lifted her away from Fox and checked his pulse. There was none. His skin was cool and pale. Connor carefully lifted the deceased hero and dragged the body outside.

He grabbed several dry leaves and twigs and set them near the body, then he went inside of one of the houses to find a match. As primitive as Cerinia's culture was, they still didn't live without matches.

He found three on a shelf and went back outside. He took two steps and froze.

on top of on top of Vivian knelt over the body, her back turned to him.

No matter what she promised, he still didn't trust her as far as the end of his nose. He cautiously walked up to her.

"What're you doing?" He asked.

She turned around. "He's dead..."

"I know..."

"Where's my sister?"

"Krystal...She's safe."

"Don't say that if you don't know for sure. Tony is here. She's not safe with him alive."

Connor sighed. "What did you DO to him? He was fine before... He loved her. He never would have hurt her."

A tear rolled down her cheek. She turned away. "It's...it's a long story..."

Connor piled the dry leaves closer to the body and lit a match. A leaf ignited for a moment, and then burned out. The second match lit three leaves, which lit the corner of Fox's shirt on fire.

"Let's go, and you can explain the whole thing to me and Krystal when she wakes up."

Vivian sighed. "Fine." She followed Connor to none other than her own home.

The woodwork on the exterior was weathered and beaten, but it was still home... She hadn't been there since the day of her mother's death. Even then, she hadn't been inside.

She'd nearly forgot what the inside looked like.

No, that was a lie. She could never forget the place she often dreamed of being in, with her family...

She cleared her mind and walked inside, unable to stifle the unbearable comfort that came from seeing the familiar settings around her. Things had changed drastically. There was a fireplace, the table was moved, and the shelf was on the other wall. But it was still home, and there was no where else she had ever wanted to be so much.

Krystal lay asleep on a mat on the floor. There were no "beds" in Cerinia, only mats.

"Is she okay?" Vivian asked, her slight Cerinian accent coming through her years of practicing Lylatian.

"She's just sleeping...she cried herself to sleep when Fox.." Connor trailed off, unable to finish his words. "Just...tell me what happened."

Vivian sighed deeply. "I...You know how I wanted a family..."

"And the Guardian's.."

"Yes. They sent me to Krystal's family. I had a younger brother, Kevin. But when Keila was pregnant with Krystal..."

"The Council made Keila give you up."

"I was sent to live with Nalia. She...she wasn't right. She knew I wasn't Keila's real child... She hated me. I...I was so angry...I blamed Krystal for the loss of my family." Vivian held back the tears that threatened to escape from the pain of her past. "I came back one day... I'd been cutting vegetables. I had the knife...I didn't even realize it until I stabbed her..." Twin drops trickled down her cheeks. "I didn't have any hope to go on. I...let the hatred rule my life. Everything in my life revolved around gaining my revenge. I wanted her to feel the pain I had felt when my mother died..."

"Where did Tony come in?"

"Tony...Tony..." Vivian shook her head. "I knew how he loved her...and she loved him. I didn't think anyone should love her. I snuck into the Guardian's tower using the one chance they gave me to escape if I needed to. I found the rock that gave them their power, and I took it. I wanted its power. I didn't know how to gain it. I left using the rock, and I had power...but only when I held it. As soon as it was no longer in contact with my skin, I felt weak again. It was like a drug...I had to have it. I wanted the power, all of it. He was smart... I saw him build things... I thought maybe he could help me. So I spoke to him. I told him I would pay him... He would have enough money to hire people from Corneria to build him things, and he would have his own ship to go wherever he wanted to. It was enough to catch his interest. I told him the rock's power needed to be channeled into a body, and it could restore life. He built it for me. I watched him, and asked questions. I learned most of what he knew."

Connor nodded, listening to her. "How did he get to be..so...evil?" He asked.

"It...there...It was an accident. I thought...I...I thought I could use the power to make him love me...I modified the machine. I was too scared to use it myself, even if it meant power...I used it on him...But...that was the night he found you. You...you were dead...He wanted to use it to bring you to life. I decided to use it to my advantage, and use both of you..."

"I remember now...I think. I woke up, and I heard you both talking..."

"He...I had used some of it to control his mind. I made him think what he was doing was right, and he was out to kill Krystal...It wasn't strong at that point. You weren't all the way back. It...almost killed him...to bring you back."

"You...how could you?" Connor muttered.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." She cried.

"You...you took away my brother. You destroyed his whole life." Anger rose in Connor's blood, but he pushed it away as he saw how distraught the girl was. "I...go on..." He said, quieter.

"We...we were talking about...how to side you with us. I didn't want him to know how I'd done it with him. I...I told him to tell you part of it."

"He said that you were trying to find a bad person...and then he said it was Krystal, and she would destroy the world."

"I...its true...She can. Not the whole world...just ours. The Guardians won't have mercy when they find out how we've abused our gifts..."

"You don't..." Connor stopped himself before he said something hurtful. "Just...go on."

"That's when he tried to bring you fully back...and he did, but...it nulled the effects of my mind control, and he realized what was going on. I panicked, and reversed the controls...It rewrote his whole memory...and it all but drained your life. I...for a moment I thought you were going to die again... But you got up...and then he was yelling something at you...and you ran. You were like a ghost. I...I tried to grab you, but...my hands went through you like you weren't even there. And then you vanished. Tony passed out...and when he came to, he...he was so dark...I loved the darkness. It...it was the only thing that could quench my thirst for anger and revenge...I still wanted the power for myself, but as long as he had it. And then I realized you'd taken the stone."

"That's what he was telling me, when I left. He said to take it, and return it to Krystal..."

"Is there any way...how could we turn him back?"

"I...I don't know..."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Well, that wraps up a last minute chapter that was SHORT...Sorry about that...

_Vivian:_ Don't even go with using school as en excuse. You knew this was coming.

_Me:_ ...SHADDUP.

_Vivian: _Mhm. Just because you turned me good in the book, it doesn't mean I'm going to be good here.

_Me:_ Mhm. Just because I turned you good in the book, it doesn't mean you aren't going to die slowly. :)

_Vivian:_ O.O

_Me:_ (-awesome face-)

_Vivian:_ ...you're enjoying this..

_Me: _YOU BETTA BELIEVE IT! :D Anyway, next chapter...will...be...worked on...after school hours... I apologize, but yea, I'm not gonna lie and say it'll be up soon. BUT IT WILL BE HERE. I swear, I'm not gonna let this die. It may get...old and gray...but IT WILL BE FINISHED! ...ONE DAY!


	47. Chapter 47: The Temple

**Chapter 47**

"There's still a way to save him." The man's voice said softly.

She didn't remember how she had gotten there. Only that she was there.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"You have the power to bring him back. The choice is yours alone."

"Bring who?"

"I told you this wouldn't work. We should go before-.." A new voice said.

"No. I have to do this. At least she will wake up with the idea."

"Who are you?" She asked.

"That is of no importance. You're dreaming. When you wake up, you must go to the temple, like Fox said."

"Fox..." She repeated the name slowly. A thousand memories flooded her mind.

"Once you're there, find the seven staffs. You have two now. They are the keys to the inner sanctum. You must go there."

"The...what?"

"The temple. The innermost room, at the very center, underground. That's where you have to go. You can save him, Krystal. You can save everyone..."

"How can I...?"

"You can do it. All you have to do is pass..." The voice sounded strained. "Pass...the tests...seven tests...for the seven staffs...They...are...similar...to the Krazoa...you...have to..."

"Let's go. You're killing yourself!" The female's voice cried.

"Complete the tests! ...You...can...save them...save...the world..." He groaned in pain.

Then the voice was gone.

Krystal opened her eyes to find herself in her house. She felt surprisingly dazed, as if the past three years had been a dream. She felt a sudden urge to call her father's name...

"Do you still have it?"

"No..."

"We could have used it on..."

"I know. If I had it, I wouldn't have let this happen." A feminine sigh was heard. "We just have to get her to the temple. I don't know what's so significant about it, but there's something there..."

"I know. I felt it too. It's like they're calling me to take her there..."

"We have to beat Tony."

"As soon as she wakes up."

Krystal stood up groggily and walked slowly into the other room. Vivian and Connor sat on the floor, talking.

"We'll have to protect-..." Vivian looked up above Connor's head. He turned around.

"Y-you're.. awake." He said, as if the words had surprised him by their form.

"Yes...I..." Krystal began, rubbing her eye with one hand. She blinked. It all came back to her in a flash. She turned around and took her staff from the corner. "I know what I have to do."

"We're coming with you." Vivian demanded.

"Once I'm in the temple, I go alone."

"We'll protect you as far as we can." Conner said, shooting Vivian a glare as she opened her mouth in protest.

He drew his staff. "You'll need this once you get there."

"And this." Vivian revealed the white gemmed staff from a back pocket in her pants.

Krystal offered them a weak smile. "Let's go."

She didn't even stop to notice the many people who walked about, minding their own business as if seeing three trained fighters with deadly weapons walk through the village was a daily affair.

Vivian hesitated and looked around. Connor grabbed her arm and pulled her along. "Don't stare...ignore them. They aren't real." He muttered.

She gave him a confused look but kept walking. She wasn't about to test his theory and get left behind by Krystal, who was already several feet in front of them.

They made it to the temple in a total of ten minutes of rushed hiking.

Two solid pillars stood as an opening in the ten foot wall that appeared from nowhere and loomed above the trio.

Krystal hesitated only a moment, and then walked toward them. Connor stopped her. "Wait."

He walked up to the pillar on the right and wiped the dirt and weeds that had grown over half of an inscription. "Edco kxo fiho ev xouhk sud fujj."

"Only the pure of heart can pass..." Vivian muttered in Lylatian.

"No different than the Krazoa..." Krystal said. She again stepped forward.

A blue field appeared between the pillars and she again stopped.

"We should test it..." Connor said. He knelt and picked up a solid fist sized rock from the forest floor, then chucked it at the transparent field. It disintegrated on impact. He stood for a moment, pondering. "Maybe if we-" He trailed off with a flinch as he heard a loud crash.

Krystal stood, staff extended, on the pile of rubble that had been the left pillar. The force field had vanished. "Shall we go?" She asked.

Connor blinked.

Without waiting for a reply, Krystal ventured on ahead.

"There could be traps..." Connor warned. Krystal paid no attention. She waltzed through the open courtyard toward a dark hallway.

Torches still lit by unknown means allowed dim light to filter in. A steep stairway led them deeper into the temple.

A massive stone door blocked the passage at the end. Krystal read the inscription in her native language. "Jxo nxo najxoj ke fujj mijk fhelo xohjocv nehkxo. Edco ro fheev ev xoh jkhodwkx muo jxo odkoh."

"She who wishes to pass must prove herself worthy. Only by proof of her strength may she enter." Connor repeated.

The words were illuminated in a strange bluish glow, along with a strange circular pattern on the door.

Krystal reached out and touched it, gingerly running her fingertips along its smooth surface. She felt a small, perfectly rounded hole in the center of the pattern. Extending her staff, she inserted it and twisted. The door opened.

"Strength my ass..." Vivian muttered.

"Well, having a staff shows significant strength." Connor reasoned.

"True..."

They walked into a square room that was covered in sand. Water covered the left half. The walls were stone, imprinted in glowing symbols none of them had ever seen before. The same bluish glow outlined a door in the right side of the wall.

Krystal walked over to it and reached out her hand. It vanished, and a transparent watery shield appeared in its place. She touched it lightly with her fingertips. It was warm, inticing... calling her. She stepped through.

"Krystal!" Connor cried. She vanished through the mysterious doorway. He ran after her and dove for the exit. His hands and face rammed into something hard and his body bounced off, landing him on his ass. He swore, wincing as he climbed to his feet.

"What just happened?" Vivian demanded.

"I don't know. She went through fine."

"This isn't how it was supposed to go!" She cried in panic. She ran to the rippled surface and pressed her hands against it. It was solid. "Come on!" She cried, drawing her staff and smashing it into the surface. To her shock, it went flying through. Her hand smacked into the invisible wall and on instinct she dropped the staff. It fell through and disappeared. She swore.

"That was smart." Connor retorted.

"Shut up!" She snapped. "We have to make sure she's okay!"

Connor sighed. "That's the temple test area... one of two things should happen. Either she'll figure it out, complete the tests, and save the world, or...she'll fail and we all die."

Vivian stared at him for a moment. "Are you KIDDING ME?" She shouted. "So that's it? We're just gonna stand here and wait?" She yelled.

"Calm yourself. You're gonna break something." Connor warned.

She stood seething for a few moments. Connor sat down at the edge of the water to think.

Vivian paced back and forth anxiously. "How will we know when something happens?"

"I don't know." Connor replied.

"How will we know if...what if...what if she doesn't make it?"

(**Meanwhile...**)

Krystal stepped through the strange field. It was calling her...pulling her very soul. She stepped into the blackness and gasped. The room around her formed as if it was being molded into existence by a higher being.

It was a medium sized square room. Its grey walls had glowing lines of blue that formed more strange symbols. She turned around, looking for her way out. There was only a wall.

As if on cue, the staff Vivian had been holding came hurtling out of thin air and clattered at the vixen's feet. She gasped.

One of the circular patterns on the wall behind her began to shine and blink, and she turned back around to examine it. There was an indent in the shape of her staff. She shortened it and pressed it into the tiny alcove. A click was heard. The lines on the wall glowed bright and spun in a clockwise circle around the staff.

A circular section with the staff at its radius moved inward from the rest of the wall. The movement ground to a stop with a soft thud.

"Are you sure?"

Krystal started at the voice. She turned around, but the room was still empty.

"I'll handle it, then."

She furrowed her brow.

"Make sure he's okay."

"Who are you?" Krystal called, turning about and trying to find the source of the voice.

A stunningly beautiful white feline stepped out of thin air a few feet from Krystal. An ethereal white glow surrounded her. "I am Krin. I'm here to help you. I wasn't sure if this was possible, but the Temple is sacred ground. I can accompany you through a part of your journey."

"Who...are you?"

"I am a Guardian. We built this place, and the tests in the rooms beyond. The Cerinians once thought of us as gods... but we are not. Not anymore. Our source of power, your special blue stone, has gone missing. Ramiro saw this, years ago... that's why we built the temple. As an escape. The way of escape forfeits our lives and our powers in this universe. We will be trapped forever in the realm we created for ourselves, right under the surface of Cerinia. But you, you and your people will be saved. I don't know all the details about the escape, I just know how to get there. I'm not sure of everything that will happen. Only Ramiro knows that and he's been taken ill..."

"Wait. You're a Guardian. You...built this... so... where do I come in?"

"You are the only one who can step through the portal. Only those pure of heart, and from your grandmother's bloodline can enter. Anyone else simply can't go through."

"What portal? What are you talking about?"

"The portal we built will save you. You alone are the hope for your people." Krin paused as a low rumble was heard from the ground. "The countdown has started. We must hurry."

She ran toward the indented circle on the wall and shoved. It gave way and swung out like a door. The staff fell out of its niche onto the floor. Krin snatched it up on her way down a long hall. "Takkah, hurry up with those other staffs!"

"I'm trying, Krin! I can't locate the sixth and seventh..."

"Well you'd better hurry..." Krin said, extending the staff in her hands. "...or we're all finished."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Just as a side note, how many times have I mistakenly put "Aurthor's Notes" instead of "Author's Notes?" O.o ...just wondering. Anyway, so, I'm an idiot, and I lost the notebook which had ALL of the information about Cerinia and the Guardians and which staffs were missing and which ones they had... SO...until I find that, unfortunately, there won't be another update...

_Vivian:_ It's not like you're updating anything anyway.

_Me:_ Hey. I try.

_Vivian:_ Mhm... sure. I've seen you try. This isn't trying. This is-

_Me:_ I'M DOING MY BLOODY BEST OKAY? IT'S NOT LIKE MY IPOD IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE EDIT DOCUMENTS OPTION!

_Vivian:_ Whatever you say, God.

_Me:_ And don't you forget it.

_Krin:_ But she just called you a-

_Me: _JSHISH! We wouldn't want to ruin anything. Just...shutup and get back to work.

_Krin:_ But...I'm...on...vaca-

_Me:_ WHATEVER. I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU DO AS LONG AS IT'S NOT HERE. I have an elusive blue notebook to find... e.e


	48. Chapter 48: The Temple Tests

**Chapter 48**

Krin burst into the next room. It was square, like the previous room. And as Krystal entered behind her, the only exit vanished.

"These tests are nearly identical to the Krazoa. There are some different elements, but it's close enough you should be able to figure it out." Krin said. She winced and doubled over. "I don't think... this is going to work... I'll try to help you...but I can't stay here." She faded like an apparition, leaving the staff she was holding on the floor. "Take this." A flash of light appeared and another staff emerged from the light.

Krystal kneeled and retrieved the purple gemmed staff. She had two tucked into either clasp of her loin cloth, and one on her back under the strap of her top. She looked around the room. A perfect staff sized hole sat in the midst of a blue pattern on one wall.

She walked over to it and took out the matching blue staff, replacing the purple one on her back, and inserted the tip into the lock.

A soft click was heard, followed by the sound of a large door sliding either open or closed somewhere outside the walls.

The room was black aside from the soft glow of the blue patterns on the walls.

The glowing lines separated themselves from the wall and hovered an inch away. They rearranged themselves to form words.

"Test One. The test of Observation." Krystal read. Although the words were in her native language, she unconsciously read them aloud in Cornerian speech. "You must find the orb that contains the staff when the orbs cease to move. If you fail, your life will be forfeit."

She gulped.

Seven blue glowing orbs detatched from the walls. They gathered around where her staff was in the lock. When they separated, she couldn't tell which one had the staff. They formed a circle with her in the center, and for a few seconds, became transparent enough for her to see the staff, shortened in the middle of one of the orbs.

They solidified again, and began to circle her slowly. She kept an eye on the one with the staff. Moving in unison, it was easy for her to keep track.

Suddenly the orbs split their perfect form. Every other orb spiraled upward to the right, and every other orb spiraled upward to the left. Krystal nearly lost track of her orb but she was determined.

They regrouped above her and split again. This time, it was every orb for itself. Yet somehow it was still as if perfectly choreographed. She turned about three times, careful to keep her eye on the orb.

They spiraled again, faster this time. She began to worry when her orb almost lost her sight. Then it did. She gasped, turning about. But they all looked the same. Panic began to settle as she realized she had lost her one hope of surviving.

"No…" The orbs were moving impossibly fast now, swerving and spinning and diving and twirling. She bit her lip to keep back tears of desperation as they wound to a stop.

"Think, think!" She said to herself, turning around and glancing at each orb that levitated only a few feet from her.

She closed her eyes. "Mo jkuvv… Nxoho uho oei?" She whispered. Knowing that panic would kill her, she took a deep breath and focused. The staff calmly called to her heart. She turned around, eyes still closed. A little to the left. Too far. Almost.

She stepped forward without opening her eyes.

There.

If she was wrong, she would die. But if she waited any longer, she would perish anyway.

She reached out her hand and touched the warm surface of a glass orb. She opened her eyes as it became transparent…

Her staff floated perfectly in the center.

The orb vanished, dropping her staff on the floor. She gingerly picked it up and turned around. The lock on the door had moved. She slid the staff in and twisted. The entire wall separated and slid to the left as she tried to remove her staff.

In response, it shortened and disappeared into the vanishing wall. She let out a soft cry of surprise.

The way was open. Glowing patterns lit a tunnel of stairs leading up. She followed them. The light slowly changed from blue to purple.

She stepped up into another room, lit in purple, and drew the purple staff from her back.

"Now what, Krin?" She asked. No response. She sighed, looking for a lock. There was one on the wall to her left. She stepped up to it and inserted the end of the staff. It clicked.

The words again appeared, illuminated in purple.

"Test Two. The test of Combat. Prove you are worthy to carry the powerful weapon in your hands. Survive for five minutes and the way will be unlocked to you."

She removed the staff.

The patterns on the walls again moved, forming six bodies. They were very plain to her. The faces had no shape, and they had no tails. They were solid and glowed with a purple hue. Like her, they weilded long poles, similar to her staff.

Krystal drew said staff and prepared for battle.

The one to her front dove first. She ducked and made a swipe at its leg. Two came running toward her back. She straightened and propelled herself off the ground and into a backward arch. She shot a blast from her staff for the extra momentum and grabbed both their shoulders as she came back around, landing square on her feet.

A swift swipe of her hands and a burst of blue energy sent their two heads to the ground.

The light melted into a blob on the ground, and the bodies reformed.

"What!" Krystal cried. "That's not fair!"

They began to surround her. She shoved her blue energy away from her, pushing them along with it. They tumbled over each other and hit the wall. Krystal gasped as they split and multiplied before her eyes. Where there had been six, now there were twelve.

Several rushed at once. The next few seconds were a blur of blows, blocks, grunts, and kicks. Krystal closed her eyes and ducked her head, blindly throwing hits in random directions. The green staff fell off her hip. She snatched it and used it to knock several of the bodies to the ground. Now fighting with two staves, one in each hand, she had more room to breathe. The green staff had enough magic to execute a quake. She used the moment of peace to catch her breath and think.

As soon as they regained their footing, she began darting about and tripping them again. One to the left. One to the right. She cartwheeled with one hand across the sprawled bodies to catch three at once with her staff.

They were multiplying faster than she could catch up. She spun around and sent a wave of light blue energy in contrast to the purple lighted room, knocking a majority of the beings to the floor.

That was when an idea formed in her mind.

As one came rushing forward, she backed into the empty corner and held up a blue shield to block the attack. Two more joined. Followed by another three. Suddenly they began to multiply. There had been six.

Now there were closer to fifty.

Krystal's strength began to weaken. She shoved the energy out, realizing she would break before her five minutes were up. She didn't even know how much longer she had.

She picked up her two staves and began fighting through the mob of purple bodies that constantly threw itself at her.

When she felt she would collapse, she ducked into the corner and stabbed the purple staff into the ground. A purple shield appeared around her, saving her from their attacks. But now she was trapped.

"Just five minutes…just five minutes…" She whispered. The pounding stopped.

She opened her eyes as the mob stepped back and dissolved, one by one.

She sighed in relief and walked over to the wall. "Two minutes my ass. That was more like two hours." She spat.

More words appeared on the wall.

"You have proved yourself worthy of the staves which you now posses. The challenges ahead of you will prove you are worthy of a second chance."

She unlocked the door with the purple staff, compensating that one as well, and headed into the next room where another test awaited.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** This chapter was a bit short... I apologize. The next one will be longer. This seemed like the only appropriate way to end it without seeming rushed or just lagging on. But in the next chapter, many if not all questions will be answered. Where the Guardians came from, how Connor, Tony, Vivian, and Kevin got involved, the secret of why Connor is... "Con," some stuff about Krystal's parents...

_Vivian:_ Goodness. You might as well give away the whole ending right there.

_Me:_ It's not over yet. I told you at the beginning this would end up at fifty chapters. I intend to keep my word.

_Vivian:_ At this rate you'll end up with forty-nine or fifty-one.

_Me:_ Don't curse me. I still plan on fifty. I've been planning on fifty since I was like eleven. Don't ruin my dreams.

_Vivian:_ I've been planning on ruining your life since I was born. And I'm older than you.

_Me:_ Technically speaking, you are actually younger than me. You're only about three years old.

_Tony:_ That explains a LOT.

_Vivian:_ Shut up. That makes you three also.

_Tony:_ I'm four and a half, thank you very much!

_Me:_ Point is, I'm the boss, and you aren't. So...shut up and let me finish this. My OWN way.


	49. Chapter 49: Part 1 and Part 2

**Short Pre-Story Note:** This is an extremely long chapter. I split it up so that it can still be called Chapter 49. Also, there is some "adult content" near the middle. There's a big paragraph, where Vivian is talking about... stuff. It's kind of brutal. Not for the squeamish or faint of heart. And if you noticed, in my short ten minute writers block period, I went through and added titles to all of the chapters. :D So.. yea. Again. This is an extremely long chapter. I have BOCP (Borderline Obsessive Compulsive Personality) along with several other mental disorders (such as ADHD or something about a squirrel and a shiny thing in the corner...) and it would drive me nuts if I had 49 chapters or 51 chapters... So, I'm squeezing all the extra crap I can into this chapter so that the end can still be epic, and it won't roll over to extra chapters. Otherwise I would have to drag this out to chapter 60...and that would suck. Well, now that I have duly wasted your time, you may read on. Enjoy. :)

**Chapter 49 Part 1:The Truth Revealed**

Katt piloted her ship down into the atmosphere. Luckily Falco had hurried, and her new power source was reliable below Cerinia's surface. She landed gently on the outskirts of the village and stepped out. She lifted her pilot helmet off her head and shook her hair free, inhaling deeply the Cerninian air she had been without for so long.

She shut her cockpit window and locked the ship, then covered it with some nearby branches and leaves. It was poor camoflauge for the neon pink ship, but it was better than nothing in her opinion. She headed for the village, heart pounding. She hadn't been back in nearly three years. Three years... and she still remembered every detail as if it was yesterday. It wasn't as if she was born here. But it had grown on her in the time she had spent living and learning.

She broke the edge of the forest and stopped short. Her heart caught in her throat.

The civilians of Cerinia's village were all there, walking aroung as if nothing had ever happened.

Houses were in shambles. The trail the meteor had left was still there. The meteor itself was gone. She was in shock.

She recognized several of the animals. "Hey... Hey!" She called. There was no response.

She walked up to a ferret she had once been friends with. "Layra!"

The ferret turned to her, wide eyed.

"It's me, Katt!"

Layra dropped the jug of water she was carrying. It hit the ground and vanished. Then the young girl turned and ran as fast as she could.

"Wait!" Katt cried, rushing after her. As she did, animals on her left and right began to panic. They scattered like frightened creatures in a forest fire. Katt had almost caught up to Layra. "Stop running!" She yelled. The frightened girl ran on like her life depended on it.

Katt reached arm's distance and reached for her shoulder. She missed. She sped up and grabbed at Layra's arm. She missed again. She got closer, til she could almost stick her foot out and trip the girl, and wrapped her arms around her chest to stop her. To her shock, her arms fell through Layra's body as if she wasn't there. "What?" She stopped running and stared as Layra's body faded and disappeared as she ran.

"That's not..."

"Possible? I didn't think so either."

She spun toward the voice. "Tony." She growled. "What are _you_ doing here?"

He chuckled. "Why, I could ask you the same thing."

"I'm here for Fox."

"Fox is dead. He passed away late last night."

Katt looked down. "Then I'm here for Krystal."

"Krystal is dead."

"You're lying."

"Maybe, but she won't be alive for much longer."

"Not if I can help it." Katt glared. "You won't touch her."

He chuckled again. "You're right. But without this..." He held up a red gemmed staff. "She can't complete her tests. In other words, she doesn't have the right answer. And this is a test she can't afford to fail. Failing this means her life."

Katt lunged for the staff. Tony swept it out of her reach. "Don't bother. This is for test five. She's probably to four by now. She won't make it for another ten minutes." He grinned.

"You son of a bitch." She spat angrily.

"Now, now... what did you learn when you were five years old? Calling names doesn't help anything." He took a blue shiny stone out of his pocket. "This, on the other hand... This is what could save her. But I won't let you have it." He said, smiling as he tossed it into the air. He held out his palm to catch it. It vanished into thin air with a flash of light.

He blinked.

"What...?"

Katt grinned. "I guess she has it now."

"What did you do!" He demanded.

She smiled. "I didn't do anything. You brought this on yourself."

He stepped toward her. "So help me..."

"I didn't touch it! You saw me the whole time! I didn't even move."

"You did something. It was here, and now it's gone!"

"That's your own damn fault."

He grabbed her by the throat and dragged her to a tree, where he held her three inches off the ground. She gagged and grimaced, squirming and clawing at his hand. "Don't lie to me, Katt Monroe."

"Go ahead... kill me..." She snapped.

He tightened his grip, choking her. She winced, digging her nails into his hand until it bled. She kicked out her foot and struck him directly in the testicles by mere chance. He dropped her with a grunt and doubled over as she fell to the ground gasping and coughing. She crawled to her knees and looked at him. He slowly lifted his head.

His green eyes had turned a dark shade of red and he stared hard right at her. She froze. Never in all her years of dealing with criminals and terrorists had she ever seen a look filled with such hatred. If looks could kill, this look would have decimated the entire galaxy.

She scrambled to her feet and bolted back toward the village. "Help!" She cried. Tony got to his feet just as fast and pursued her. The feline's terror formed into adrenaline, pulsing through her veins and pushing her legs to keep moving through fatigue. Her lungs burned. She heaved air through her mouth as tears of desperation spilled from her eyes.

She began to put distance between them as she darted through the village houses. She rounded one corner. Then another. The second he was out of sight she flew into the first door she saw and quickly but quietly shut it. She ran to the back room and flattened herself against the wall, holding her breath and forcing her burning lungs to calm. She trembled as she stood there in the shadow, tears of fear spilling silently down her cheeks.

She dared one breath of air for her bursting lungs, slow and shaky. She forced herself to breathe calmly through her nostrils to keep from any noise.

The door opened. She bit her lip to keep from screaming in desperation.

No one else was around. There was nothing to stop him from killing her then and there. She didn't dare to move or to breathe. Maybe, just maybe, he would pass on and not find her there in the shadows.

A hand snaked around her waist. "Here, kitty-kitty..." He whispered in her ear.

She screamed.

(**Meanwhile...**)

Krin kneeled facedown on the floor, coughing violently and spitting up blood. Takkah stood over her, holding her shoulders and trying to comfort her. Tears spilled down the feline's face. The silky white fur from her chin all the way down her chest and stomach was now covered in contrasting red blood. Her cheeks were matted in blood and tears. She sobbed and spit out more red liquid.

Takkah bit his lip to hold back his tears. "I'm sorry Krin... this is my fault..."

"No..." She choked again and hurled a mess of food and blood onto the floor in front of her knees. She knew she would die soon unless they found the rock.

Ramiro was already on the edge of death. He lay several feet away on a white couch. His golden fur was no longer it's magnificent hue, but now a dull brownish yellow. His skin was pale, and he stared blankly at the ceiling, breathing very shallow and only blinking once every few minutes.

Takkah was the last one of the three whose fur still held its ethereal glow. But he knew he wasn't very far behind.

Krin looked up suddenly and gasped. "The stone!" She summoned her energy without hesitation and snapped her hand out in front of her. A white flash occured as she reached through the very existence of reality and snatched up the one posession that could save them all. It only lasted a mere second, but that one second was an eternity in her eyes. She could feel as each of her fingers individually slipped through time and space.

She could feel her index finger make contact with the warm surface of the stone as her energy faded.

She felt her ring finger touch the surface next, followed by her thumb, her pinky, and her middle finger.

She felt her grip tighten and a surge of energy flow through the veins of her palm as she snatched the stone back to her side of the momentary ripple she'd created.

She blinked. Excitement ran through her whole body. Or maybe it was the pure energy of the stone...

Tears of relief and joy formed in her eyes. Takkah's jaw hung open. "We did it!" She cried, looking at him with hope in her bright blue eyes. They were filled with hope once again. She weakly climbed to her feet as the healing power of the stone ran through her veins.

Ramiro turned his head and offered a weak smile. Krin placed the stone in his palm and wrapped his fingers around it. She watched as his dull fur returned to the bright golden stage of his youth, spreading from his hand over his body. Takkah stood, a huge grin on his face. "Does this mean we won?"

Krin and Ramiro looked at him.

"The people of Cerinia are saved. This means... Krystal doesn't have to use the portal. Right?"

"No..." Ramiro sat up slowly, still weak. The energy was powerful, but working slow. "Krystal must complete the tests or she will die. Cerinia has indeed been saved. But there is something she is still missing. And I am sure I know what she will choose. Meanwhile, you must return the red and black staves to her, or she will fail."

"I can help with that. I think Tony has them... I can't find them." Krin said.

"I found the white one!" Takkah cried.

Krin closed her eyes. She rippled existence again to statch it up. "Alright. Now to find Krystal..."

"Just leave it in the last room. She won't need it yet."

Another white flash. "Done."

Ramiro inhaled deeply as long needed energy flooded his veins. "The red and black staves must be with Tony. I cannot see him."

"What about the stone, and the people?" Takkah asked.

"We cannot revive them without our full energy. I suggest we take turns holding the stone." Ramiro replied. He handed it to Takkah.

The youngest Guardian's face lit up. He smiled, then laughed. The power surged through his veins like oxygen. He threw his head back and laughed a deep throaty laugh up toward the sky. He hadn't felt this much joy in years. Tears of happiness trickled down his cheeks. "Oh my..." He was cut off by laughter. He doubled over, heaving breaths and more laughter, until he could no longer even stand. He collapsed on the ground, laughing and crying and yelling like a drunken man.

The rock rolled out of his hand, but his feelings and behavior didn't end. The stone glowed a bright shade of light blue.

Krin dove for it, grinning wildly with longing and jealousy. She held it up to her heart, letting the energy flow through her very soul. She stood up and spun around, giggling like she had just heard the funniest joke in existence. Her soft silvery laughter echoed about the room in company with Takkah as her body fed on the energy. She cried out in excitement as the same joy filled her veins. She began spinning and jumping like a hyper little girl who had just opened the best birthday present in the world. She held her arms out and spun slowly, laughing up at the ceiling and crying in joy.

Ramiro smiled as he looked on, secretly envying the two younger ones. He stood as Krin dropped to the ground, still laughing.

Takkah had gone silent. He lay on his back, arms spread, grinning up at the ceiling as if looking upon his perfect bride.

Krin held tight to the stone for a few seconds more, grasping every drop of its energy she could before it overwhelmed her soul. She rolled onto her back, giggling at the ceiling above her as the stone slipped out of her palm.

Ramiro knelt and picked it up. The energy flooded his veins. He had promised himself as he watched them that he would never act so foolish about renewing his power.

He broke that promise in every way in the moments that followed.

At first it was a feeling. He hid his face as if they were watching him as he failed to supress a grin. He held the stone to his chest in attempt to stifle the intense strength of the emotional effects of the stone. He breathed out in a sigh that trembled his entire body. His legs threatened to give out. He held strong with every ounce of resolve he posessed. He doubled over, unable to hold himself upright and not burst out with the unimaginal joy that racked his being.

He bit his lip and grimaced, trying desperately not to make a fool of himself. But he looked even more of a fool, swaying violently back and forth and stumbling backward and forward to supress himself. His legs gave out and he dropped.

And he laughed.

He laughed like he hadn't laughed in his entire three hundred years. He laughed, and he cried, and he laughed some more. He tried desperately to stand, dropping the stone on the floor. He got to his knees before another wave of joy pulled him back down. He laughed more, and harder.

It was a type of laughter he had seldom experienced. In a normal situation, laughing that intensely would see the contents of your bladder spilled onto the floor in a matter of seconds. But this laughter had a differnt origin. It wasn't the physical type of laughter. It was laughter that derived directly from the soul, through your heart and mind and lastly into your stomach and out through your mouth. Seldom is there a being lucky enough to experience this kind of pure, untouched joy.

And the three remaining Guardians were just that sort of lucky beings.

(**Meanwhile...**)

Connor and Vivian sat quietly in the dark room, unaware of Krystal's whereabouts and challenges. Connor still held the white staff. He stood and paced a few times, twirled it in his hands, and then set it down on the floor as he sat down. No sooner had it left his hands, it vanished. He rolled his eyes. "Great."

"Guess we're stuck here." Vivian said.

Connor offered a half-hearted chuckle.

They sat again in silence.

Vivian's voice cut it like a knife. "What happened to you... after we left Cerinia?"

He took a deep breath. "It's...it's a long story."

"I've got time." Vivian said, giving him an amused look.

He shook his head. "Nothing happened."

"You died. How did you end up dead, floating through space two thousand meters from CloudRunner Fortress before Fox fixed it?"

He shook his head. "I don't know."

"You're lying."

He didn't reply.

Vivian looked down. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes. There was nothing to take her mind off of her sister.

"I left." Connor said simply.

She looked up at him.

"I just left. I saw what was happening. And I left. I fled for my self. I left her to die." He said simply. "I hopped on the back of a fleeing CloudRunner and fled to Sauria without even looking back. I stayed there for two years...and that's when General Scales and his royal-pain-in-the-assness came to be. I ended up in a scuffle with a couple SharpClaw at CloudRunner Fortress. This was right about the time he removed the spellstones. When the planet split up, I was visiting my CloudRunner friends. So I was stuck there unless I got a ride, and the SharpClaw were trying to block all transit. I ended up in their little dungeon, but I took the two of them out before they got me in the cell. About six of em came down as I was trying to get out, and I hid in a cell to keep from being caught. About an hour after I had been lying there thinking of a way to escape my unlocked cell, they brought in another prisoner. The first time I heard her speak, telling them to let her go, I knew it was Krystal. I waited til they put her in a cell, and then I jumped them both and took her staff. There was only two. I set her free...she didn't even recognize me. I mean, I know it was only two years...but...still. I didn't tell her my name. I told her to guess. I led her out of the dungeon and into a trap. They were waiting for us. At least ten of them. I took her staff and went right for it. I admit, I was showing off a little..."

"A little?" She questioned.

"Okay. A lot. Point is, I took them out. But I was careless. She came running up to me, and threw her arms around my neck. I held her there...and for a moment, it was just us. Everything else disappeared. Nothing else mattered. Just her and I. Just that one embrace... all the pain. All the guilt I'd ever felt for leaving her to fend for herself...which she's actually pretty good at... everything disappeared. And then..." He sighed. He was standing again, pacing back and forth as he spoke.

"You got attacked?"

"No. She thanked me. Kind of. She said, 'oh Tony, I knew you'd come.' I was devastated. In that one moment she brought me higher than I'd ever been, and then dropped me. I couldn't even breathe. I just stared at her. I was so upset. I was angry, sad, hurt... How could she mistake me for my brother? My brother, who I'd always hated... and her, having telepathy and everything? She couldn't see how hurt I was. How disappointed. I was too distracted to see the SharpClaw that was sneaking up on us. He took his axe and lunged at her. I saw him at the last second and pushed her out of the way. I got hit instead." He lifted his shirt to reveal a thick, gnarled scar across his well muscled stomach.

Vivian drew her hand to her mouth. It was the scar from the wound that had killed him.

"I was just laying there bleeding while she killed him. Then she came back and held me in her arms. She said she loved me. Or, I repeat, 'I love you, Tony, please don't die.' I wanted to scream at her. I wanted to shout, that she had it wrong. That I wasn't really him. That I loved her more than he ever could. But I didn't. I couldn't. The last thing I remember before blacking out was trying to tell her I wasn't him."

"That's when we found you..."

"Yea."

She nodded, taking in this information.

"What about you? What's your story?"

"My...story?" She asked.

"Yea. How did you get here?"

"I realized it wasn't my mission to help or stop Krystal. That my duty was to her as a sister."

"No. I know that. I mean... your story. I don't know hardly anything about you. All I know is you had a bad childhood and grew up wanting to kill your...sister..." He stopped himself from saying "mother," even though in his mind, it was true.

Vivian sighed. "My story..." She took another breath and sighed again. _I've never told anyone. Ever._ She thought. "Well... I was born on Corneria, fifty years ago."

Connor chuckled.

"I'm serious." She said sternly. He straightened. "Sit your ass down. You're making me nervous."

He obeyed.

"So... I was born on Corneria. Fifty years ago. Closer to fifty one, but... yea. Both my parents died when I was really young. Some war thing going on with that bastard Andross. I wasn't really raised. I hung out with a group of older kids. They all babied me. Until one day when a gang came by and shot them all. They left me because I looked half my age and I was crying. I was ten. I looked like I was about five or six. They gave me a wad of cash that amounted to twenty four dollars and left me alone. I went and bought myself a pizza and ice cream. I starved for the next week. Then I got into stealing things for a living. Things like food and money. It got bigger. Computers. Cell phones. Car stereos. When I was eighteen I became addicted to drugs. I'm not going to mention what, simply because I can't remember. All I remember is that I spent four years stealing and getting wasted and being high. When I was seventeen I..." She paused for a moment and closed her eyes. "I lost my virginity. I never was fully right after that. When I was twenty two, I stole a starship, and I got myself crashed on the dark side of Cerinia."

"So let me get this straight... you're fifty years old?"

"Let me finish. You asked to hear this."

He nodded, looking at the ground.

"I was looking for some way to get high. But my hunger got past my addiction. So I went looking for food. And instead I became the food. For a hungry TreeClinger. He mauled me within inches of my life. Both of my legs were gone. My left arm was severely damaged. My upper body was torn up as well. I thought I was going to bleed to death. I was ready to pass out from pain and blood loss. I'm not even sure how it was possible that I was still breathing, conscious, and alive. Then... a man appeared. Like an angel. There was a white flash, and he was there. His fur was redder than all of hell's firey inferno. He was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. He killed the TreeClinger, and picked me up. He told me his name was Shine, and that I would live if he had to lie, cheat, kill or steal for it."

"What kind of a name is 'She-nay?'" Connor asked.

"Shut up and listen. He took me to the Guardians. There were seven of them. They were the most beautiful creatures I'd ever seen. Krin was whiter than snow. Takkah, blacker than the darkest night. Ramiro, more golden than the summer sun. Maye, she was bluer than the sky itself. Nanu... he was greener than any field of grass. Dakite was purple. She looked like one of those Cerinian sunsets that takes your breath away. And Shine. He was red. Redder than hell itself. He saved my life. He told me I would live when the rest of them told him he was crazy. But he wasn't. He asked me what I wanted, more than anything in the world. And I told him I wanted a second chance. I wanted to live a normal life, and have a family. He whispered okay, and took this blue stone. I think it was the same one you took from us and gave Krystal."

"I didn't take it..." He protested. She glared. "I just borrowed it..." He looked down. "Go on."

"I don't remember the earliest parts of my childhood. I remember when the Council found out Keila was pregnant with a third child. Krystal. They told her she would either have to send me or Kevin away, or have an abortion. She immediately chose to send me to live with my grandmother. Because I was the oldest. I was eight years old. All I knew was that they were taking me away from my mommy. That's when the flashbacks started. Flashbacks of another life. I remembered being there, crying in my room as Andross' cronies raped and killed my mother right outside, in the hallway. I remembered running out of the house as it burned down around me. I remembered finding a thirteen year old boy named James who gave me some food and money and told me to come with him. His parents called the CPS and I went into Foster care. That lasted about two hours, at which point I climbed out the window with the forty dollars James had given me."

"James? That's Fox's dad's name."

"I know." She said. "I kept remembering things, but every time I told my grandmother and insisted I had lived another life, she told me that it was 'okay to dream but not to lie.' But I wasn't lying. When I was fourteen...one morning, I was cutting vegetables. And I had a flashback. But this one wasn't little parts, like most of them. I remembered being seventeen years old, standing in an alley, begging for food. A wolf came by. In his mid-thirties. He told me if I came with him he'd feed me. So I did. I went with him. I climbed into his sleek black hover car and drove away. He talked to me. Told me I was beautiful. When we got to his house... he raped me. Then he tied my hands and feet, and left me next to naked in his closet. He took me out in the morning and raped me again. Then he fed me breakfast and put me back in the closet. He told me if I didn't listen to him he would kill me. He kept me for three weeks."

Connor bit his lip, staring at her with remorse. _No wonder she is how she is..._ He thought.

"Then one day he came back drunk." She continued. "After he was done with me, he tied me loosely and stuffed me in the closet without dinner. I untied myself and waited. The next morning I was still awake, waiting for him. When he came in, I beat him to death with the bar that was used to hang clothes on. I washed myself off, got dressed, and stuffed myself with every bite of food I could eat without bursting. I took every bit of cash I could find in his house, along with some food, clothes, and jewelry. Made it look like a burglary. I got his credit card, too. Mister Richard D. O'Donnell. I'll never forget that name... That memory is brutal even now, but I was fourteen. It took me by surprise. I didn't know how to handle it. I needed closure. I needed a mother. I walked outside and into the forest, on the edge of tears and rage. I had been...cutting vegetables...for stew. My grandmother was out gathering food. I walked down and all the way through the village without realizing I still had the knife. I came to her house and knocked. My father answered the door. She came outside a moment later. She must've sensed something was wrong, her being that great telepath and all. She tried to calm me down. I pushed her away...only..." She trailed off with tears in her eyes.

"Only, you still had the knife..." Connor finished.

"I stabbed her... I killed her. I killed my own mother when I was fourteen years old."

"That's a lot to live with..." Connor said.

"I never told anyone who I really am. Not even Tony." She said. Then she looked away. "I don't know why I should tell Tony anything. He raped me."

Connor gasped softly.

"He came to my twenty-first birthday party. He was sixteen, but he was taller than me, and stronger."

"I remember that. I was there too..."

"Yea... after you left, he took me out into the woods for a 'talk.' I said something that made him upset, and he hit me. So I hit him back. And then he..." She shook her head. "He raped me. And I let him. I loved him... I was afraid if I struggled he would leave... I should have let him leave. I should have told him never to talk to me again. But then, I got a letter from him... it was a love letter. And I believed every word. I should never have trusted it..."

He looked down.

"Thank you..." She said.

"For what?" He asked.

"For listening." She offered a smile.

As if on cue, the portal that had swallowed Krystal flashed white. Then vanished. A black tunnel remained, with a dim blue glow from somewhere in the back. Connor and Vivian exchanged glances. No words were spoken, but there was nothing that needed to be said. There was only one word, one name that could be on their minds in this precise situation.

Krystal.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **And this is the part where I ramble on and on simply because this is the end of a chapter, and it's customary for me to do so. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH

SURPRISE!

Scroll down for the next chapter! :D

I'm so sneaky I put two in one. ;D

Vivian: THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!

Me: ...yes, you would know that, wouldn't you. Cuz you were there when it happened.

Vivian: x.x

Me: ;D anyways. (-ties up Vivian-) Next chapter here. Don't worry, I'll untie her in time for her to play her part. ;)

* * *

**Chapter 49 Part 2: The Temple Tests: Part 2**

Krystal walked into the next room. It glowed green. She unlocked the next test with the corresponding green staff.

"Test Three. The Test of Fear. You must stand and face your greatest fears. If you do not succeed, your life will be forfeit." She sighed. _My greatest fears? Like what. Losing Fox? Check. Losing my family? Check. Facing Tony? Check. What have I got to lose?_

"Krystal?"

She turned around, unbelieving of the voice she was sure she'd heard. "...Fox?"

"Where are we?"

"In...the temple... but... how did you...?" She began, unable to believe her eyes. She wanted to run into his arms, but her feet were rooted in place. "You... I watched you die..."

"I'm here now. I'm not dead."

She finally gained power over her feet and ran toward him. He stepped back, and she stopped. "What's wrong?"

"I... I don't know..."

"You're...not real." She looked down. A tear threatened to fall. She held it back and forced down her emotions.

"I am."

"Prove it."

"How?"

"You said you loved me. So take me into your arms and love me."

"Right now?"

"Yes."

"But..."

"You can't, can you?"

He looked down.

She drew the yellow gemmed staff. "I must stand and face my greatest fears. My greatest fear was losing you." He gasped. She drew back the staff and swung full force at his face.

"No! Wait!" He cried. She closed her eyes. The staff sliced through thin air. When she opened her eyes, Fox was gone. A tear rolled off her cheek.

"Goodbye, my love."

"How sweet." She turned with a glare, recognising Tony's voice.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"Don't sound so cruel, love. Aren't you happy to see me?"

"I'd be happier to see you dead."

"Let's not be so hostile, darling. You could at least _pretend_ you're happy I'm here."

"Why would I? I'm not."

"Oh, of course... You're still mad about Fox." He sighed. "I'm sorry. I really tried to get there fast enough, but when I did he was already gone."

She stared at him for a moment. "You're not real." She said.

"Pardon me?"

"You heard me. You're not real."

He walked up to her and grabbed her by the throat. "I'll show you just how not real I am..." He said through clenched teeth. She winced. He slammed her against the wall. "Is this real enough for you?" He asked.

She smiled. "You want to know how I know?"

He glared at her. "Oh yea? How."

"Because you don't have a thought pattern. Or a presence at all. You don't exist."

He frowned, tightening his grip and then slamming his free hand into her gut in the form of a fist. She grimaced, caught off guard. "Who's real now?" He asked.

"No...you're not...real..." She managed. She closed her eyes. "You're not real!" She screamed.

When she looked up, she was standing on flat ground and the door to the next room was open.

(**Meanwhile**)

"I can almost sense it... I swear it's close. It's right... There!" Krin shouted, snapping her hand through a rift in space and snatching up the red staff. "The black one's with it!" She cried in joy, reaching through with her other hand.

"We've got them!" Takkah cried in glee.

"Quickly now. She's almost there." Ramiro said. Krin created another rift and tossed the staff through.

"You'll need this." She said.

Krystal looked up in shock as a white flash brightened the yellow room. A staff with red gems dropped through. She caught it before it hit the ground.

"And here's the other one." The female said as the black one jumped out of air in a similar manner. Krystal caught it as well.

"Thank...you?" She said uneasily. But the girl was gone.

She placed the yellow staff into the slot and waited.

"Test Four. The Test of Strength. You must prove your worth by standing firm against anything that comes your way." She frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

A soft rumble shook the floors. She turned around, trying to find where it had come from. Dust spat up from around the edges of the room. It took her a total of five seconds to realize that the north and south walls were closing in.

"What?" She cried in horror. "I can't hold up the freaking walls!" She ran to the first one and shoved her weight against it. Her feet slowly slid along the floor. "No...must...stop it..." She groaned, straining every muscle in her body.

The wall barely even slowed.

With a cry of exasperation, she ran to the other one, with the same result. She backed to the middle, looking around her for options. The room was empty, save for the red and black staves. She grabbed the red one and struck it into the ground a few inches in front of the sliding wall. It hit the staff and stopped. She sighed with relief.

Then it kept moving, slicing a path in the ground and forcing the staff along with it.

Her face twisted in despair.

The walls were coming closer and closer. She stood dead center, turning back and forth from wall to wall.

They came close enough that she could nearly stretch out her arms and touch both at the same time.

One last idea came to her. She closed her eyes and held out her palms on either side of her. As the walls softly nudged her hands, she focused. She felt the familiar comforting warmth of the energy as it spread through her and out to her fingertips.

She felt the growing pressure of the walls against her two shields. "Not...this...time..." She groaned, struggling to hold against the oppressing walls. Her resolve was weakening. Her arms slowly bent toward her body as the looming walls threatened to overpower her and crush her like a bug. Her arms trembled and her muscles twitched as she shoved with strength she didn't know she had.

The pressure released and the walls slid swiftly back to whence they came. Krystal sighed in relief, plopping softly to her hands and knees.

A door opened and the way to the next room was cleared. She stood weakly and walked through the tunnel to a room lighted with red. She placed the corresponding red staff in its place.

The words appeared again.

"Test Five. The Test of Knowledge. You must use what you know to outwit 3 opponents. If you succeed, the way will be opened to you. If you fail, you will forfeit your life." She sighed. "Alright, let's get on with it."

A door opened. She turned, curious. Three strange forms appeared in front of it, all red.

"You cannot pass." The one in the middle said.

"Why not?"

"We are the guardians of this door. You have to outwit us first."

"Of course. That's what the words said. I'd rather you make this easy and let me pass." She said, drawing the black staff.

"Silly girl. You can't kill us."

She narrowed her gaze. "Then how do I outwit you?"

"Use your knowledge, of course. One of us must always tell the truth, one of us must always lie, and one of us must always agree."

"I suppose you are the one who always tells the truth?" She asked.

"No, he's not." The one on the left said.

She turned to the one on the right. "And which one are you?"

He shrugged.

"Are you the one who lies?"

He shrugged again. "I suppose so."

"I am the one who tells the truth. He agrees." Said the one on the left.

"I tell the truth." Said the one in the middle.

"Whoever tells the truth, tell me how to outwit you."

"Solve the riddle. Tell us who we are." Said the one in the middle.

"Nay, sit by while we discuss amongst ourselves." Said the one on the left.

"Yea, what they said." Said the one on the right.

She smirked. "You on the right. You always agree."

He looked down and disappeared.

"You on the left, you are the liar."

"No, that's not-..." He vanished as well.

"And you tell the truth."

He smiled. "Very good." And then he vanished.

She rolled her eyes at the simpleness of the test and walked on into the dimly lit black room. She placed the black staff into its holder and waited for the instructions to once again appear.

"Test Six. The Test of Truth. You must choose between what is true and what is not. If you succeed, yea yea..." She muttered.

The air of the room changed. It was a scene from her past... She turned around. It was as if she was standing inside a mirror. Mirror images of her past were playing out on either side of her.

"Oh, hush. You don't know anything." Kevin said.

Krystal watched as her brother, young as he once was in the past, walked in from the fog. A younger version of herself tagged along behind him. "But, what if there's nothing out there? What if it's all gone?" She asked.

"It won't be. I know."

"But... why do you have to go?"

Kevin paused. "You're right. I don't have to. Maybe I'm just being silly. My life is here. I'm sorry, sis. Could you ever forgive my silliness?" He asked, grinning.

Krystal frowned and turned around to the other side.

"But, what if there's nothing out there? What if it's all gone?" She asked.

"It won't be. I know."

"But... why do you have to go?"

Kevin paused. "Because... I... It's better there. There's so much more. I'll come back. But I have to go now. I'm sorry, sis. Goodbye."

Krystal closed her eyes from the painful memory.

When she opened them, she was standing on the beach.

Beside her was herself, and Tony. They were both young.

"You know... I think I love you." He said.

She blushed and looked away.

"Don't pretend you can't tell just by the way I look at you."

"I...but you're different sometimes. I don't know. Sometimes it's clear, and sometimes it's not."

"Is it clear now?"

"Well.. yes, but..."

"Then know that how I am now is how I'll always be around you. I love you, Krystal."

"I... I think I love you too, Tony."

He looked down. "I'm glad." He whispered.

Krystal offered a weak smile at the scene and turned around to the mirroring one.

"...you're different sometimes. I don't know. Sometimes it's clear, and sometimes it's not."

"Is it clear now?"

"Well...yes, but..."

"Then know that how I am now is how I'll always be around you. I love you, Krystal."

"I...I think I love you too, Tony."

He looked down. "But I'm not Tony..." He whispered.

She drew in a soft gasp. And suddenly, it all made sense. "Connor..." She muttered.

The scene changed back to the black room. The room beyond spread its white glow down through the passageway.

Krystal took a deep breath, and then she ventured forward.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Well folks, our journey is drawing to a close. 49 Chapters down. 1 to go. I hope you enjoyed the double-feature here, consider it my Christmas gift to you. :)

I'm kind of dragging out the last chapter while I work on re-editing the first half of the story. If you'd like to subscribe and follow along, I'd be happy to PM anyone who wants to know when chapters are edited. I'd like to officially "finish" this before I post the end and mark it off as "complete." The first few chapters were a little.. well, to be blunt, corny and rushed. So I'm officially doing a rewrite. Since fanfic won't update you guys when I replace a chapter, if you would like, PM/review me and I'll personally send whoever is on the list a message to let you know when another chapter is rewritten. If you don't have an account but you would like to be updated, leave me your email and I'll send you a message that way. It's my way of countering for not finishing the story line yet. :p

Anyway, once again, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!


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